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CIHM/ICMH             CIHM/ICMH 
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„•■...* 


1  2  3 


1 

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6 

.HISTORICAL    ACCOUNT 


OF 


CHRIST  CHURCH,  BOSTON. 


^it  l.irtrrtss, 

DELIVERED    ON 

THE     ONE   HUNDRED    AND    FIFTIETH     ANNIVERSARY 
OF   THE    OPENING     OF    THE    CHURCH, 

December  29th,  1873, 

BY    THE    RECTOR, 

THE     RKV.     HENRY     BURROUGHS. 


(PiiBusimn  BV  Rbqcrst.) 


BOSTON: 
A.    WILLIAMS    &    CO. 

1874. 


^B 


^ 


iHliiiiii^ittiliM 


(6- 


^M 


iC^ 


HISTORICAL    ACCOUNT 


01' 


CHRIST  CHURCH,  BOSTON. 


♦..■.■!,.;" 


DELIVERED   ON 

THE    ONE   HUNDRED    AND     e'lFTIETIl    ANNIVERSARY 
OF    THE    OPENING    OF    THE    CHURCH,      - 

December  29th,  1873, 

BY   THE   RECTOR, 

THE    EEV.    HENRY     BURROUGHS. 


(Published  bt  Uequbst.)  , 


BOSTON: 

A.    WILLIAMS    &    CO, 
1874. 


.  ^i\ 


THIS    IS   NONE   OTHER   THAN    THE    HOUSE    Of    GOD,    AND   THIS   IS 


THE   GATE   OF    HEAVEN." 


CHRIST  CHURCH,  BOSTON,  1723. 


"may  THE  GATES  OF   HELL  NEVER   PREVAIL   AGAINST  IT." 


ADDRESS. 


The  first  settlers  of  Boston  styled  tlicmsolves  "  children  of 
the  Church  of  England,"  and  counted  it  their  glory  to  be 
called  after  her  name,  and  before  the  Arbclla  left  Yarmouth, 
on  the  8th  of  A])ril,  1G30,  the  Governor,  John  Winthrop, 
with  the  ministers  and  magistrates  of  the  new  Colony,  desired 
the  prayers  of  the  Bishop  of  London,  and  of  the  rest  of  their 
brethren  in  and  of  the  Church  ot  England.  But,  after  they 
arrived  here,  they  nat  only  neglected  to  make  any  provision  • 
for  the  English  Church,  according  to  their  charter,  but  de- 
nounced the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  as  a  sinful  v'olation  of 
the  worship  of  God.  A  fine  of  five  shillings  was  imposed 
upon  any  one  who  observed  Christmas  DAy,  or  the  like  festi- 
vals, and  a  similar  fine  upon  any  one  who  did  not  resort  to 
their  meetings  on  the  Lord's  Day,  and  on  the  days  of  Fastmg 
and  Thanksgiving  apj)ointed  by  authority,  and  no  days  com- 
manded to  be  observed  bv  the  Cluu'ch  of  Eno;land  were  re- 
garded.  No  attention  was  paid  to  the  requisition  of  Charles 
IL,  that  "  such  as  desire  to  use  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
and  perform  their  devotions  after  the  manner  as  established  in 
England,  be  not  denied  the  exercise  thereof;"  and  the  Com- 
missioners, whom  he  sent  over  to  remonstrate  with  the  General 
Court,  brought  back  the  reply  that  they  refused  to  be  dictated 
to  in  religious  matters.  It  was  not  until  1677  that  the  severity 
of  the  laws  was  so  far  relaxed  as  to  permit  divine  service  to  be 
performed  after  the  manner  of  the  English  Church.  The  Rev. 
Robert  Ratcliffe  arrived  in  the  llose^  frigate,  on  the  15th  of 
May^lG86,  and  officiated  in  the  library  at  the  east  end  of  ti:e 


Town  Hall,  and  afterwards  in  the  Exchange.  In  1C89  a 
wooden  chapel  was  built,  and  named  King's  Chapel.  This 
buildino;  was  enlurixed  in  1710,  but  was  found  in  the  course  of 
twelve  years  more  to  be  too  small  for  all  who  desired  to  attend, 
and  it  was  decided  to  build  a  new  church  at  the  north  end. 
The  mill  creek,  a  canal  cut  through  the  narrow  neck  of  land 
that  separated  the  Mill  Pond  from  the  harbor,  now  in  part 
covered  by  Blackstone  street,  was  generally  recognized  as 
the  dividing  line  between  the  north  and  the  south  parts  of  the 
town. 

Our  earliest  record  gives  an  account  of  the  first  steps  taken 
towards  building  Christ  Church,  in  the  following  words  : 

Lans  ])<M). 
Boston,   Nf'v  Enylaiul.  •  *    ''•'■;■' 

The  second  day  of  Septcmljer,  1722. 
1.  the  request  v.i' seveiAll  Genlicnu'ii  who  had  purchased  a  piece  of 
Ground  at  tlir  North  end  of  Boston  to  hniUl  a  Church  on,  the  Hevi-rend 
Mr.  Samuel  Mylcs  ord(  red  liis  LMerk  to  jiive  notice  to  his  ConyrejLjation, 
That  all  tho.su  -"ho  iron'  willing;  to  coiiUil)ntu  'towards  crectln,!^  anotlier 
Cliurch  at  the  North  end  of  Boston  were  desired  to  meet  at  Kind's 
Chappel  the  Wednesday  followlnj^. 

Ayreable  to  which  Notilieation  seTcral  Persons  assembled  and  chose 
Mr.  John  B.irne«,  Treasurer,  Thomas  Graves,  Esq.,  Messrs.  George  Cra- 
dock,  Anthony  Blount,  John  Gibl)ons,  Thomas  Selbey  and  Giori^e  Mouk 
a  Commltti'e  to  re(  five  Subscriptions  and  build  a  Church  on  said  ground 
at  the  North  end  of  Boston. 

The  preamble  to  the  subscription  : 

.  Wlienas,  the  Clmrch  of  England  at  the  South  part  of  Boston  Is  not 
large  enougii  io  contain  all  liic  people  that  would  come  to  it,  and  severall 
well  disposed  Persons  iiavin;r  already  l)ought  a  piece  of  ground  at  the 
North  part  of  said  'J'uwn  to  Ijiiild  a  Cliuich  on, 

We,  the  sub>cril)eis,  being  willing  to  forward  so  good. a  work,  do  ac- 
cordingly alllx  to  our  Name.s  what  each  of  u.s  will  chearfuUy  contribute." 

At  the  head  of  the  list  stands  the  name  of  the  Rt.  Hon  Earl 
of  Thanet,  who  gave  .£90.  His  Excellency  Francis  Nicholson, 
Governor  of  South  Carolina,  gave  £69,  and  also  five  cedar 
posts  and  sixty-five  planks,  freight  free.  Among  the  subscri- 
bers were  the  Hon.  Lady  Blackett,  Leonard  Vassall,  Charles 
Apthorp,  William  Price,  Peter  Ftvneuil,  and  several  persons  liv- 
ing at  Antigua  and  Barbadoes.  The  whole  amount  contributed 
was  £2184,  and  ,£1230  was  received  afterwards  from  the  sale 


ofpews.  The  land  was  'onveyed  from  A.  Blount  to  John 
Biirnos  and  others,  and  from  them  to  the  Rector,  Wardens  and 
Vestry  of  Christ  Church  hy  an  Indenture,  on  i)archment,  now 
in  our  possession,  which  provides  that  the  rifflit  of  presentation 
to  the  Rectory  shall  be  in  the  Wardens  and  Vestry ;  and  a  by- 
law, made  in  1724,  directs  that  no  one  shall  have  a  vote  at  any 
of  the  church  meetinj^s  unless  he  holds  a  just  title  to  a  pew, 
and  that  there  sjiall  be  but  one  vote  for  a  pew. 

On  the  15th  of  April,  1723,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Myles,  In- 
cumbent of  Kind's  Chajjel,  accompanied  witli  the  gentlemen  of 
his  con^reo-ation,  laid  the  first  stone,  concludinn;  the  impressive 
ceremony  with  the  words  : 

"  May  the  gates  of  Hell  uever  prevail  iiyialust  It." 

The  Church  was  opened  for  divine  service  on  the  29tli  of 
December,  1723,  the  Sunday  after  Christmas  Day.  The  Rev. 
Timothy  Cutler,  D.D.,  officiated,  and  preached  from  Isaiah, 
fifty-sixtii  chapter  and  seventh  verse :  '■''Fur  mine  house  shall 
be  allied  a  house  of  ■praijer  fur  all  'people.'''' 

There  are  a  few  parishes  and  religious  societies  now  in  exist- 
ence tliat  were  founde  I  before  1723,  but  there  is  no  other  house 
of  public  worship  in  Boston  as  old  as  this,  arid,  with  the  single 
exception  of  the  old  State  House,  which  has  been  so  much 
altered  as  almost  to  have  lost  its  identity,  Christ  Church  is  our 
most  ancient  public  building. 

It  is  seventy  feet  long,  fifty-feet  wide,  and  thirty-five  feet  high. 
The  walls  are  two  and  a  half  feet  thick.  The  tower  is  twenty- 
four  feet  square,  and  its  walls  are  three  and  a  half  feet  thick. 
The  spire  rises  to  the  height  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
feet,  and  is  a  well  known  guide  for  vessels  entering  the  harbor. 
The  resemblance  of  the  architecture  to  that  of  churches  built 
at  the  same  period  in  England  has  given  rise  to  the  opinion 
that  this  church  is  modelled  after  one  of  the  designs  of  Sir 
Christopher  Wren.  When  the  opening  services  were  held  the 
building  was  not  completed.  A  portion  of  the  plastering  was 
done  in  1725  ;  the  pillars  were  enclosed  and  the  windows  hung 


in  1720,  nnfl  tlio  steeplo  was  not  finished  until  1740.  'I'liore 
was  formerly  an  Kust  winilow,  for  wliieli  the  Vestry  voted,  in 
1728,  tliat  "a  convenient  number  of  iron  rods  shoukl  he  pro- 
vided, aiul  ])ut  up  with  all  expedition."  There  were  three 
aisles,  and  the  pews  were  square.  The  j)ulpit  stood  on  the 
north  side  of  the  middle  aisle,  near  the  chaneel,  with  the  read- 
ing desk  in  front,  and  below  that,  a  desk  for  the  clerk,  a  very 
important  functionary  in  those  days  who,  besides  waiting  upon 
the  Rector,  led  in  the  responses,  jrave  out  notices,  announced 
the  psalms  to  be  sun^,  and  kept  tlv:  rei^ister  of  baptisms,  mar- 
riages and  funerals,  and  for  these  services  received  a  salary 
of  XoO  a  year.  In  172(5  the  Vestry  voted  that,  "  a  ])ew  be 
bnil  at  the  north  side  of  the  altar  for  Mr.  Edward  jMills,  he 
paying  as  mucli  for  said  pew  as  any  other  person  ;  "  also,  that 
"  a  pew  be  built,  by  the  pulj)it,  ranging  with  Capt.  Temple's,  for 
the  use  of  Cajjt.  Wells."  In  1780  the  new  pew  luider  the 
pulpit  was  granted  to  Capt.  Sleigh,  and  a  large  pew  was  con- 
structed, handsomely  lined,  and  ])rovided  with  six  Prayer 
Books  for  the  use  of  the  gentlemen  of  Honduras  who  iiad  sent 
gifts  of  logw()o<l  to  the  parish. 

The  lot  next  north  of  the  church,  on  which  ihe  Academy 
was  afterwards  built,  was  bought  of  John  Baker,  in  1739,  and 
conveyed  to  the  Wardens  and  their  successors  for  the  use  of 
Christ  Church  forever.  Other  lots  on  the  north  and  south  of 
the  church  were  bought  or  given  at  various  times,  and  after- 
wards sold. 

The  first  Wardens  were  Thomas  Graves  and  Anthony 
Blount,  and  the  first  Vestrymen  were  II.  Franklin,  Edward 
Watts,  John  Gibbs,  Gillam  Philips,  John  Corney,  George 
.  Monk,  North  Ingliam,  and  Robert  Temple.  It  was  an  an- 
cient custom  for  the  Wardens  to  stand  at  the  c^cat  doors  of  the 
churcl  n  Christmas  Day  to  receive  the  alms  for  the  poor.  It 
was  evidently  difficult  to  secure  punctuality  at  vestry  meetings, 
for  a  fine  was  imposed  upon  any  member  that  "  doth  not  ap- 
pear within  two  hours  after  the  time  appointed  for  a  meeting." 


RevprcncL  for  the  house  of  God,  and  a  determination  to  pre- 
serve order  during  divine  service  manifest  tliemselvcs  in  the 
vote  that  "  no  naills  nor  pinns  bo  jjut  in  the  pillars  nor  the 
front  of  tlie  gallerys  with  a  design  to  hang  hatts  on,"  in  the 
appointment  of  an  officer  with  a  salary  of  £8,  to  keep  the  hoys 
in  order  in  the  galleries,  and  the  direction  to  the  sexton  in 
17o0  "  for  the  future,  to  keej)  the  rails  at  the  Altar  clear  from 
boys  and  negroes  setting  there.' 

While  the  Ej)isc()palians  of  Boston  wore  laying  the  founda- 
tions of  Christ  Church  God's  providence  was  preparing  Timo- 
thy Cutler  in  Connecticut  to  be  its  first  Rector.  This  eminent 
man  was  the  son  of  Major  John  Cutler,  and  was  born  in  Cliarles- 
town,  Mass.,  in  1088.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  College 
in  1701,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Congregational  ministry  at 
Stratford,  Conn.,  Jan.  11,  1710,  having  been  selected  as  one 
of  the  best  preachers  that  could  be  found  in  Massachusetts  or 
Connecticut,  and  sent  to  Stratford  in  order  to  prevent  the 
growth  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  In  1719  ae  was  appointed 
Rector,  or  President,  of  Yale  College.  Here  he  became  inti- 
mate with  Samuel  Johnson,  a  tutor  in  the  college.  Johnson 
liad  seen  and  visited  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pigot,  at  Stratford.  He 
had  also  received  a  copy  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
from  Mr.  Smithson  of  Guildford,  at  a  time  when  both  he  and 
Cutler  had  become  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  employing 
great  care  in  preparing  for  a  solemn  address  to  the  Lord  of 
Heaven,  and  were  already  doubtful  of  the  propriety  of  using 
extemporaneous  prayei's  in  public  worship.  Johnson  availed 
himself  of  the  language  of  the  Liturgy  in  his  ministrations  at 
West  Haven,  and  people  came  from  a  distance  to  hear  one  so 
"  gifted  in  prayer."  It  is  related  that  they  were  so  moved  by  the 
fervent,  penitential  supplications  of  the  Litany  that  they  found 
themselves  joining  in  the  earnest  petition,  "  Good  Lord,  de- 
liver us."  In  the  Library  were  the  works  of  our  great  Eng- 
glish  Divines,  a  recent  gift  to  the  college,  and  Cutler  and 
Johnson   eagerly  studied   Archbishop    King's   "  Treatise   on 


the  inventions  of  man  in  the  worship  of  God,"  Pearson  on  the 
Creed,  Bingham's  Antiquities,  Hooker's  Ecclesiastical  Polity, 
and  the  -writings  of  Bull,  Barrow,  Patrick,  South,  Whithy, 
Sherlock,  and  many  others  of  the  Church  of  England.  New 
light  dawned  upon  their  minds,  and  they  found  that  there 
had  been  from  the  Apostles'  time  three  orders  of  ministers 
in  Christ's  Church,  Bishops,  Priests  and  Deacons,  When  it 
became  known  that  Cutler,  Johnson,  and  five  others  doubted 
the  validity  of  the  ordination  of  the  Congregationalists  they 
wei'e  summoned  to  appear  before  the  Trustees,  who  Avere  over- 
whelmed with  so'Tow  and  consternati  >n.  To  give  them  time 
to  return  to  their  allegiance  they  were  allowed  until  the  fol- 
lowing October  to  reconsider  their  position.  In  the  meantime 
a  conference  was  held,  at  which  Gov.  Saltonstall  presideil,  but 
the  result  was  only  to  bring  out  from  Cutler,  Johnson,  Brown 
and  Whitmore  a  formal  declaration  of  their  belief  that  the 
.Church  of  England  is  a  true  branch  of  the  Catholic  Churcii, 
and  of  their  conviction  that  it  was  their  consequent  duty  to  be 
admitted  into  her  communion.  On  the  27th  of  October,  1722, 
it  was  voted  to  excuse  Cutler  from  the  Rectorship,  and  from  that 
time  all  Presidents  of  the  College  were  required  to  conform  to 
the  Savbrook  Platform, 

We  have  the  authority  of  Dr.  Cutler's  contemporaries  for 
saying  that  he  was  "  a  man  of  profound  and  general  learning 
in  the  various  branches  of  knowledge  cultivated  in  his  day, 
particularly  in  Oriental  literature,"  and  that  "he  presided  over 
.  the  Seminary  which  he  was  called  to  superintend  with  dignity, 
usefulness  and  general  approbation,''  The  Rev.  Dr.  Styles 
asserted  that  "  he  had  more  knowledge  of  the  Arabic  than  any 
other  man  in  New  England  before  him,  except  President 
Chauncy,  and  his  disciple  the  first  Mr.  Thacher."  He  was 
well  skilled  in  logic,  metaphysics,  moral  philosop.iy,  theology 
and  ecclesiastical  history.  He  spoke  Latin  with  fluency.  He 
was  a  noble  orator,  and  a  man  of  great  dignity  and  commanding 
presence.  His  position,  reputation  and  great  influence  made 
his  renunciation  of  the  views  generally  held,  and  his  conformity 


to  the.  Church  of  England,  events  of  vast  magnitude,  involving 
consequences  whicli  no  man  could  estimate.  "  His  conver- 
sion, "  says  Mr.  Quincy,  "  shook  New  England  like  an  earth- 
quake." V/hen  the  apjialling  news  came  to  Joseph  Webb  of 
Fairfield,  he  wrote  plaintively  to  Cotton  Mather,  "  I  apprehend 
the  axe  is  hereby  laid  to  the  root  of  our  civil  and  sacred 
enjoyments." 

Many  earnest,  faithful  men  followed  Cutler  and  his  friends 
into  the  Episcopal  Church,  bringing  with  them  the  conscien- 
tiousness and  self-sacrificing  devotion  to  truth,'  which  induced 
them  to  renounce  the  views  in  which  they  had  been  educated, 
and  being  natives  of  the  country,  and  accustomed  to  New  Eng- 
land ways,  they  were  more  useful  than  clergymen  educated  in 
England.  When  Mr.  Beach,  who  had  been  one  of  Cutler's 
pupils,  renounced  Congregationalism,  a  shrewd  matron  Avisely 
observed,  that  "  she  knew  Mr.  Beach  would  turn  churchman, 
for  she  never  heard  of  any  one  that  kept  reading  church  books 
but  what  always  did." 

Some  ill-natured  persons,  who  could  not  believe  that  any 
one  was  capable  of  making  great  sacrifices  for  the  sake  of  J.oing 
right,  said  that  Cutler  had  lonjr  been  at  heart  a  churchman 
and  that  he  waited  until  there  was  to  be  a  new  church  in 
Boston,  to  which  he  might  hope  to  be  appointed,  before  declaring 
publicly  what  he  had  held  privately.  The  Rev.  Henry  Harris, 
assistant  to  the  Minister  of  Kitig'-s  Chapel,  accused  him  of  insin- 
cerity in  a  coir  munication  sent  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  which, 
if  it  ever  reached  him,  remained  unnoticed.  On  the  22d  of 
June,  1724,  Harris,  who  was  never  friendly  to  Cutler,  and  who 
charged  him  with  holding  popish  and  Jacobite  principles,  wrote  to 
the  Bishop's  successor  that  "  the  motive  of  this  person's  convei*- 
sion  was  the  prospect  of  a  new  church  in  this  town,"  and  that 
"  his  behavior  is  so  imprudent,  his  notions  so  wild  and  extrava- 
gant, and  his  principles  so  uncharitable,"  that  "  the  church  will 
never  flourish  under  his  care."  The  whole  tone  of  the  letter 
confirms  the  statement  in  a  letter  written  by  Samuel  Johnson 
to  the  Bishop  of  London,  Oct.  10,  1724,  that  Harris  was  dis- 


10 


appointed  uecause  he  was  not  himself  chosen  Rector  of  Christ 
Church.  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  sincerity  of  a  man 
who  relinquisliod  the  advantages.of  a  higlily  honorable  position, 
a  good  salary,  a  quiet,  happy  home,  the  esteem  of  a  whole  com- 
juunity  and  the  friendly  intercourse  of  his  ministerial  brethren, 
and  who  said  to  those  with  whose  ecclesiastical  views  he  had 
always  agreed,  "  your  opinions  are  unsound,  and  your  ordina- 
tion is  not  valid,"  who  suffered  his  labors  for  the  Divine  Head 
of  the  Church  to  be  interrupted  until  he  could  receive  authority 
from  the  laying  on  of  a  Bishop's  hands,  and  who  exposed  him- 
self to  the  dangers  of  two  long  voyages  and  of  the  fatal  pesti- 
lence, that  he  might  share  in  the  reproach  and  sufferings  and 
privations  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  this  land.  Cutler  was 
an  honorable,  christian  gentleman,  incapable  of  any  thing  mean. 
Upon  his  removal  to  New  Haven  the  college  paid  .£90  for  his 
house  in  Stratford,  and  this  sum  he  repaid  when  he  was  de- 
prived of  the  Presidency. 

On  the  2nd  of  October  1722,  the  committee  wrote  to  him 
the  following  letter : — 

•'  We  the  Subscribers  congratulate  you  and  the  gentlemen  year  friends 
on  aeeount  of  your  late  Dfclaralion,  and  we  pray  to  God  it  mny  have 
that  happy  influence  on  this  country  which  some  men  so  much  dread  and 
deprecate  while  others  expect  benefit  by  it. 

Sir,  we  being  appointed  a  Committee  for  taking  in  subscriptions  to 
build  a  new  house  lor  the  Worship  of  God  at  the  North  end  of  Boston,  (our 
present  building  not  being  capable  to  contain  tie  people  of  the  Church,) 
and  having  the  hearty  concurrence  and  prayers  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel 
Myies  in  our  undertaking,  we  have  thonglit  prope:  to  acquaint  you  that 
we  would  liave  you  come  to  Boston,  and  by  what  we  have  learnt  from 
the  gentlemen  of  the  Church,  we  take  upon  us  to  assure  you,  that  a 
passage  sh;dl  be  provided  tor  you,  and  all  things  proper  to  support  the 
character  of  a  geutleman  during  your  stay  in  London,  whither  with  the 
approbation  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Mvies,  we  shall  send  our  humble 
petition  to  our  Right  Rev.  Diocesan,  My  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  that 
afier  the  Church  that  is  now  designed  to  be  erected,  he  would  be  gra- 
ciously pleased  to  grant  his  License  to  you  to  preach  in,  the  people  hero 
being  willing  to  maintain  you. 

We  desire  that  Mr.  Brown,  and  Mr.  Johni<on,  may  come  down  with 
you  in  order  to  accompany  you  to  London,  which  gentlemen  shall  like- 
wise be  our  care  to  procuring  tliera  a  passage  and  doing  them  all  the 
service  8  in  our  power.  We  miike  no  question  but  that  you  will  all  be 
very  kindly  received  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Mie  Bishops,  both  thi;  Universities, 
and  the  llon'ble  Society,  and  although  your  sincerity,  Mr.  Culler,  is  called 
in  queHtlou  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Henry  Uurriu,  yet  we  hope  your  tuture  be- 


11 


havlonr  will  fully  demonstrnte  your  intearity.  And  if  that  worthy  gen- 
tleman should  hy  some  wicked  men  b»  unliappily  persuaded  to  per-<isf  In 
Ills  (pinion  yet,  notwiHisiandinir,  we  assure  voii.  Sir,  thtit  yonr  coiuin'jr 
to  Boston,  by  the  inontji  of  Novernl)(;r,  will  be  very  iirateCul  to  the 
Church  here,  juiil  you  all  may  depend  upon  an  hearty  welcome  from  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Myle8,  the  whole  body  of  the  Church  and  iu  a  particular 
manner  from 

Gentlemen,  your  friends  and  very  humble  servants, 

,,  ■                                          JouN  Barnks, 

.  ■:',':   [:.,,  ,  ■'      ,,■■  \'- .  ,•      i                       ,y^         Thomas  Gkaves, 

Gko.  Cjuuock, 

""               '  '    :  .:                                          Anth.  Blount, 

it   ,                       ..  John  Gibbons, 

"  "    .             Tiios.   Skmiky, 

'!.■.     •'•.'.:.  .     .  .        ••    ,   Geo.   Monk. 

P.  R. — We  assure  you  that  care  shall  be  taken  of  your  spouse  and 
children,  either  here  or  where  else  you  please,  till  your  return  from 
Britain.    We  expect  a  positive  answer  by  the  bearer  of  this  letter." 

Cutler,  Jolinson  and  Brown  came  to  Boston,  wliere  they 
were  cordially  welcomed  and  hospitably  entertained.  Their 
passages  were  paid,  and  a  sum  of  money  subscribed  for  Mr. 
Cutler's  subsistence  while  at  London.  Taking  with  them  the 
fullest  testimonials  from  Mr.  Myles  and  others,  they  sailed 
from  Boston  on  the  5th  of  November,  arrived  at  Ramsgate  on 
the  15th  December,  1722,  and  went  the  same  day  to  Canter- 
bury, where  they  had  to  wait  three  days  for  the  stage  coach 
to  take  them  to  London.  The  Cathedral,  and  the  solemn  and 
magnificent  services  filled  them  with  admiration.  They  went 
to  the  Deanery,  and  having  no  letters  to  any  persons  of  dis- 
tinction in  Canterbury,  sent  in  word  that  three  gentlemen 
from  America,  wiio  had  come  over  for  Holy  Orders,  desired  to 
pay  their  respects  to  the  Dean.  It  so  happened  that  the  Dean, 
Dr.  Stanhope,  was  presiding  at  a  dinner  given  to  the  members 
of  the  Cathedral  Body,  and  they  were  then  reading  the  Decla- 
ration of  Cutler  and  his  friends  from  a  London  paper.  The 
Dean  himself  came  to  the  door  to  greet  them,  and  as  they  en- 
tered, every  one  rushed  forward  to  grasp  their  hands,  and  they 
were  urged  to  repeat  the  whole  story. 

At  London  they  were  most  kindly  received  by  the  Bishop, 
and  Dr.  Grandorge,  one  of  the  Prebendaries  of  Canterbury, 
who  was  Chaplain  to  the  Earl  of  Thanet,  gave  each  of  them  ten 


12 


guineas  from  tlie  Earl  for  ilic  purchase  of  books  and  afterwards 
procured  his  Lordsliip's  subscri])tion  of  £dQ  for  this  Church. 
The  ordination  of  tlie  tliree  candidates  was  delayed  by  the 
illness  of  Mr.  Cutler,  wlio  suffered  from  a  severe  attack  of 
small-pox,  the  disease  so  fatal  to  Americans  visiting  England. 
When  he  recovered,  the  j^ishop  of  London,  Dr.  Hobinsoii,  was 
l^I.:o;  at  the  point  of  death,  and  Cutler,  Johnson  and  Brown, 
were  ordained  at  St.  Martin's  Church,  by  the  Bishop  of  Nor- 
wich, Dr.  Green,  in  March  1723.  Mr.  Brown  took  the  small- 
pox and  died  on  Easter  E\e.  Mr.  C'utler  received  the  de- 
gree of  Doctor  of  Sacred  Theology  from  both  the  Universities 
of  Oxford  and  Cambridjre  and  Mr.  Johnson  tliat  of  Master  of 
Arts.  On  the  2Gtli  of  June  Dr.  Cutler,  after  making  the 
usual  declaration  of  conformity  to  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of 
England,  was  licensed  by  the  Bishop  of  London  to  officiate  in 
Massachusetts.  'He  left  England  in  July,  and  reached  Boston, 
on  the  24th  of  September.  v^;     ^  .:  ,.. 

Dr.  Cutler  was  one  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Society  for 
propagating  the  Gosj)el  in  foreign  parts.  That  venerable 
Society,  to  which  this  parish  is  indebted  for  assistance  in  the  sup- 
port and  maintenance  of  its  clergymen  from  the  opening  of  the 
Church  until  our  separation  from  England,  was  founded  in 
1701,  "  for  the  conversion  of  our  own  people,  Indians  and  ne- 
groes." Dr.  Cutler's  reports  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Society, 
published  in  the  third  volume  of  "  Perry's  Historical  Collec- 
tions of  the  American  Colonial  Church,"  furnish  a  comj)lete 
history  of  Christ  Church  during  his  incumbency  of  forty-two 
years.  In  his  first  letter  to  the  Secretary,  dated  Jan.  4,  1724, 
he  writes,  "  on  the  last  Sunday  I  preached  in  our  nev/  Church, 
that  being  the  first  time  of  our  assembling  in  it.  It  is  not  yet 
finished,  but  workmen  are  daily  employed  upon  it,  and  we  put 
it  into  as  good  a  posture  as  we  could  to  receive  an  audience. 
Our  Church  was  very  much  crowded  with  hearers,  and  the 
prayers  of  the  Church  were  performed  in  a  very  regular  man- 
ner, and  yet  there  was  scarcely  any  apj>arent  diminution  of  the 


attendants  at  the  other  Church  in  Boston."  There  were  no 
paroc'Iiial  bounds,  and  about  eighty  I'amilies  belontjed  lo  this 
parish.  Divine  Service  was  held  on  Sundays,  and  althcucfh 
somewhat  interfered  with  by  the  workmen,  on  some  particular 
festivals,  besides  the  days  of  fast  and  thanksgi"ino;  enjc'ned  by 
the  authorities.  The  Church  was  ordinarily  full  with  constant 
and  transient  hearers.  The  Lord's  Sujjper  was  administered 
once  a  month  to  about  forty  communicants.  On  the  23rd  of 
September,  172f),  he  reports  twenty-two  baptized  since  the 
December  previous,  and  "seventy-five  Communicants,  seven- 
teen whereof  live  out  of  town,"  and  he  adds,  "  it  is  /ith  a 
great  deal  of  pleasure  and  truth  that  I  let  the  Hon.  Society 
know  that  I  live  in  peace  and  love  with  a  numerous  and  very 
increasing  congregation,  who  are  very  constant  and  very  de- 
vout at  our  public  worship."  In  these  returns,  made  generally 
twice  a  year,  we  find  the  number  of  baptisms  increasing  to 
thirty-seven,  while  the  number  of  Communicants  reaches 
nmety-four,  as  many  as  seventy  attending  at  one  time.  Many 
are  drawn  into  the  Church,  especially  the  young ;  the  people 
constantly  and  reverently  attend  public  worship  ;  the  Congre- 
gation numbers  full  eight  hundred  persons ;  and  with  evident 
satisfaction  the  good  Doctor  says,  *'  my  parish  is  in  peace." 
On  Christmas  Day,  1748,  he  had  eighty-one  at  the  Commu- 
nion, besides  a  very  large  congregation  of  dissenters  and  others, 
although  it  was  a  Sunday,  and  on  the  next  day  he  wrote  to  the 
Secretary  "  My  congregation  is  rather  on  the  increase,  though 
my  church  is  situated  to  the  least  advantage  for  it  of  any  in 
this  town,  and  I  hope  it  will  keep  on  the  increasing  hand  since 
God  has  blest  us  with  tiiat  jjcace  and  unity  which  is  a  very 
promising  symptom  of  it."  In  1750,  he  speaks  of  his  own 
Church  as  the  smallest  of  the  three  Episcopal  Churches  of 
Boston  and  the  most  inconveniently  situated  for  growth.  It 
was  surrounded  bveleo-ant  mansions,  tlie  residences  of  the  rich 
gentlemen  of  that  age,  but  several  of  the  families  who  lived  here 
in  almost   regal  splendor,  and  with  whom  Dr.  Cutler  was  a 


14 


liii' 


welcome  guest,  appear  to  have  attended  King's  Chapel.  Christ 
Church  was  never,  in  the  Colonial  times,  a  self-supporting 
parish. 

Humphrey's  historical  account  of  tlie  Society  for  propagating 
the  Gospel  says,  that  "  the  members  of  Christ  Church  have  in 
many  respects  pi'oved  themselves  a  worthy  people,  very  devout 
in  the  public  worsiiip  and  conscientious  in  their  lives  and 
actions."  Sir  Harry  Frankland,  who  lived  on  Garden  Court 
street  next  to  Gov.  Hutchinson,  and  to  whose  house  Benjamin 
Franklin  came  as  a  newsboy,  wrote  in  1748,  "  Christ  Church 
has  a  large  tower,  a  fine  ring  of  eight  bells,  a  beautiful  steeple, 
and  having  an  elevated  situation  it  may  be  accounted  a  noble 
structure  for  this  part  of  the  world." 

In  our  parish  library  are  some  fine  copies  of  folio  editions  of 
standard  English  theological  books,  presented  by  "  the  vener- 
able Society  "  and  bearing  their  seal,  a  missionary  on  the  prow 
of  a  ship  holding  out  the  Gospel  to  natives  on  the  shore,  with 
the  motto :  Transiens  adjuva  nos,  and  surrounded  by  the 
words,  Sigillum  Soeietalis  de  promovendo  Uuangelio  inpartibus 
transmarinis. 

In  December  1746,  Dr.  Cutler  acknowledges  the  goodness 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dechair  in  the  books  already  presented  by  him 
and  the  addition  he  designs  to  them  for  a  Parochial  Library  in 
this  Town  and  the  Society's  goodness  in  allotting  that  benefit 
to  this  parish,  adding,  "we  shall  show  our  gratitude  in  provid- 
ing a  convenient  place  for  them  ;  and  I  promise  for  myself  and 
hope  for  my  successors  the  greatest  care  to  preserve  the  books 
from  hurt  and  embezzlement  and  to  make  the  best  advantages 
we  can  of  such  a  pious  donation." 

April  7,  1728,  Dr.  Cutler  wrote  to  Dr.  Z.  Grey  that  a 
young  man  had  given  by  will  ^130,  of  which  .£30  was  for  the 
poor,  also  the  residue  of  his  estate  to  be  equally  divided  be- 
tween Christ  Church  and  the  college  for  the  education  of  Epis- 
copal scholars,  adding  "  It  is  said  the  college  will  reject  the 
gift  as  they  once  did  an  organ  vk^illed  them  for  the  service  of 
Almighty  God." 


ii!; 


In  tne  replies  to  the  queries  addressed  to  the  ministers  em- 
ployed by  tiie  Venerable  Society,  in  1724,  Dr.  Cutler  stated 
that  this  CJhurch  had  no  C!)ommunion  plate  bosides  a  silver  cup. 
That  is  the  smaller  of  the  two  Chalices  on  which  are  the  words 
"  The  gift  of  Captain  Thomas  Tudor  to  Christ  Church,  in 
Boston,  1724."  The  gold  and  silver  received  in  the  collections 
were  set  apart  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  additional  vessels 
for  the  Communion  service,  and  the  offerings  on  the  day  ot 
thanksgiving,  Nov.  13,  1729,  Avere  devoted  to  the  same  object. 
Two  of  the  large  flagons  were  procured  with  these  contribu- 
tions, and  they  are  marked  "  Belonging  to  Christ  Church, 
Boston,  New  England,  A.  D.  1729."  The  name  and  arms  of 
Leonard  Vassall  are  on  a  Patten  given  by  him  in  1730.  The 
massive  christening  basin  bears  the  inscription,  "  The  gift  of 
Arthur  Savage,  Esq.,  to  Christ  Church  in  Boston,  1730,"  and 
the  arms  of  his  family.  On  two  of  the  flagons,  the  larger  chalice, 
a  patten,  and  a  plate  called  "  a  receiver,"  and  used  to  receive 
the  alms  and  other  devotions  of  the  people,  may  be  seen  the 
royal  arms,  with  the  words  "  The  gift  of  his  Majesty  King 
George  II.,  to  Christ  Church  at  Boston,  in  New  England,  at 
the  request  of  his  excellency  governour  Belcher,  1733."  There 
is  also  an  oval  vessel  with  a  cover,  ,which  was  presented  in 
1815  by  Mrs.  Hannah  Smith. 

Besides  the  silver.  King  George  II.  gave  to  this  Church  a 
folio  bible,  two  folio  Prayer  Books,  bound  in  Turkey  leather, 
and  twelve  others  bound  in  calf,  gilt,  together  with  book-marks 
made  of  ribbon  similar  to  that  worn  by  the  noble  order  of  the 
Garter,  and  trimmed  with  gold  fringe,  an  altar  piece,  cushions, 
carpets,  damask,  and  two  surplices  of  fine  hoUand.  Two 
Prayer  Books  were  reserved  for  the  use  of  the  Governor  and 
Lieutenant  Governor,  and  two  were  placed  in  the  Wardens' 
pew.  The  Royal  Bible  was  placed  upon  the  Reading  Desk  by 
vote  of  the  Vestry.  It  was  at  one  time  discarded  and  con- 
signed to  a  closet.  It  has  been  restored  to  its  position  and  is 
regularly  used  in  divine  service.     It  was  printed  at  Oxford  in 


16 


1717  by  John  Baskctt,  and  is  celebrated  for  the  elefrancc  of  the 
printinjT  and  the  en<:;ravings.  An  error,  not  in  the  text,  but 
in  the  heading  at  the  top  of  tlie  page,  at  the  20th  Chapter  of 
St.  Luke,  lias  given  it  the  name  of  the  Vinegar  Bible,  by 
which  it  is  Avell  known  to  bibliographers.  Three  copies  of  this 
edition  were  printed  on  vellum,  one  for  the  King,  one  for  the 
Duke  of  Marlborough's  libraiy  and  one  for  the  Bodleian  library. 
Four  of  the  Prayer  Books  remain,  and  having  been  adapted  to 
the  American  Service,  are  now  in  use. 

Gov.  Belcher,  to  whose  favorable   representations  of  Christ 
Church,  this  parish  is  indebted  for    the  King's  generous  gifts, 
was  a  Congregationalist,  and  when  he  was  appointed  Governor, 
Dr.  Cutler  expressed  his  fears  of  the  injury  that  he  might  do  to 
the  Church  here  in  a  letter  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  dated 
Feb.  24,  1780.     "  This  Gentleman "    he   writes,  "  is  a  pro- 
fessed Dissenter,  and  perhaps  in  New  England  he  never  was  at 
Church  on  any  Sunday  or  other  festival  in  his  whole  life,  and 
lately  refused  to   marry  his  daughter  to  a  young   gentleman 
baptized  and  brought  up  in  the  Church  of  England   before  he 
absolutely  promised  to   forsake   the    Church,    which   he   has 
accordingly  done."     In  1731  Gov.  Belcher  was  so  unfortunate 
as  to  appoint  a  fast  on  the  25th  of  March.     Dr.  Cutler  and  Mr. 
Price  waited  upon  him,  and  told  him  that  it  was  Lady  Day, 
and  a  Festival  of  the  Church  of  England.     The  Governor  very 
courteously  said  that  had   he  known  it  he   wouhl  have  taken 
some  other  day.     Mr.  Price  was  so  rude  as  to  tell  him  he  be- 
lieved  it  was   done  purposely  to  affront  the  Church,  and  the 
Governor  writing  an  account  of  the  interview  to  the  Bishop  of 
London,  says,    that  he  would  have  "  treated  Mr.  Price  very 
roughly"  had  it  not  been  "in  regard  to   Dr.  Cutler  and   Mr. 
Harwood,  who  behaved  themselves  consistent  with  their  char- 
acter ;"  and  he  adds  that  they  "  have  acquired  so  much  respect 
and  reputation  not  only  by  their  preaching  but  by  their  virtu- 
ous and  regular  lives  that  they  have  the  good  will    of  all  who 
have  the  pleasure  of  their  acquaintance."     Dr.  Cutler's  good 
temper,  forbearance   and  suavity  of  manner  seem  to  have  se- 


17 


cured  the  kind  rcfrard  of  Gov.  Bolclior,  and  without  doubt,  his 
interest  in  tlie  welfiire  of  Christ  Churcli  was  founded  upon  his 
respect  for  its  Rector. 

The  bells  were  procured  by  subscription.     Tliey  are   eight 
in  number.     The  lightest  weiglis  620  lbs.  and  the  heaviest 
1545  lbs.     They  cost  <£5G0  in    England.     The   freight   was 
given   by  Mr.  John  llowe,  and  the  charges  for   Avheels  and 
putting  them  in  place  amounted  to  .£93.     The  inscriptions  on 
tliem  tell  their  story  so  fully  that  we  let  them  speak  for  them- 
selves.    The  tenor,  first,  says,  "  This  peal  of  eight  bells  is  the 
gift  of  a  number  of  generous  persons  to  Christ  Church  in  Bos- 
ton, New  England,  Anno  1744,  A.R."     The  second,    "  This 
Church  was  founded  in  the  year  1723,  Timothy  Cutler,  Doctor 
in    Divinity,  the  first  rector,  A.R.,   1744."     The   third  says, 
"  We  are  the  first  ring  of  bells  cast -for  the  British  Empire,  in 
North    America,  A. R.,  1744."    "The  fourth  exclaims,  "God 
preserve  the  Church  of  England,  1744."     The  fifth  commem- 
orates, "  William  Shirley,  Esq.,  Governour  of  the  Massachusetts 
Bay  in  N.  E.,  Anno  1744."     The  sixth  tells  us,  "  The  subscrip- 
tion for  these  bells  was  beojun  bv  lohn  Hammock  and  Robt. 
Temple,  Church  Wardens,  Anno  1743,  compleated  by  Robert 
lenkins   and   Ino.    Gould,    Church   Wardens,    1744."      The 
seventh  adds,  "  Since  generosity  has  opened  our  mouths,  our 
tongues  shall  ring  aloud  its  praise,  1744;"  and  the  eighth  con- 
cludes, "  Abel  Rudhall  of  Gloucester  cast  us  all.  Anno  1744." 
These  bells  are  provided  with  wheels  for  round  ringing,  but 
they  are  now  struck  by  moans  of  cords  attached  to  the  tongues 
instead  of  being  rung  as  they  were  formerly.     They  are  remai'k- 
able  for  purity  of  tone,  sweetness   and  harmony.     They  may 
still  be  heard,  as  ni  the  olden  time,  during  the  week  preceding 
and  the  week  following  Christmas,  filling  the  night  air  with 
the  glad  tidings  that  angels  brought  in  the  night  to  the  shep- 
herds in  the  field.     They  mourn  with  those  who   bear  away 
their  dead,  peal  merrily  at  marriages,  and  help  us  to  compose 
our  thoughts  as  we  ascend  the  hill  to  this  House  of  Prayer. 


18 


WIicMi  Clmrlostown  1)imi1o;i>  was  o]K'no(l,  on  tlio  17tli  of  Juno 
17x0,  tlu'V  joiiiiMl  witli  tlio  ^luis  at  the  Castle,  on  Copp's  hill 
and  on  Hiinkor  hill  in  cclehratinj^  the  union  of  the  two  towns, 
and  in  a  tow  days  they  may  welcome  the  city  of  CharliJstown 
to  a  closer  union. 

The  first  organ  was  brouffht  from  New[)ort  in  ITPjO.  Mr. 
William  Price,  who  was  very  active  in  all  parish  matters, 
not  only  went  to  Newport  to  examine  it  but  also  offered 
to  i)lay  upon  it  gratuitously  for  one  year,  after  which  he 
Avas  to  have  a  salary  ot  ten  pounds  per  quarter.  Some 
years  aftoi-wards  when  Mr.  Greaton,  Dr.  Cutlor's  assistant, 
■was  sent  to  England  for  orders,  he  was  recjuested  to  bring 
back  with  him  an  organist  '*  who  had  some  trade — if  possible 
a  barber — whom  the  congregation  might  improve  in  liis  occupa- 
tion." 'J'he  second  organ. was  made  by  Thos.  Johnston  in 
1759.  The  interior  of  this  oi^an  was  rebuilt  by  Mr.  Goodrich 
about  fifty  years  ago.  The  four  figures  of  cherubim  in  front  of 
the  organ,  and  the  two  chandeliers  were  jlresented  in  174<) 
by  the  Captain,  John  Grushea,  and  the  owners  of  the  British 
Privateer  named  the  Qaeen  oj  Iliuujary,  and  were  taken  from 
a  French  vessel. 

Our  ancient  records,  and  the  ponderous  account  books,  kept 
with  scruj)ulous  care  and  wonderful  pi'umanship,  give  the  names 
of  jT'-'ii'-'i'ous  friends  who  contributed  towards  the  cost  of  the 
church,  organ  and  bells.  They  refer  to  the  courtesies  extend- 
ed to  the  new  parish  of  Trinity  Church,  to  a  dinner  given  to 
tlie  clergy  who  held  a  convention  in  this  CImrcli  in  17o8,  and 
to  the  congratulations  otiered  to  Gov.  Shirley,  on  the  arrival  of 
his  commission  in  1741,  when  the  Wardens  and  Vestry  waited 
upoiv  his  Excellency,  of  course  in  full  dress,  with  Dr.  Cutler  in 
his  Canonicals. 

At  every  meeting  of  the  New  England  clergy  our  first  Rec- 
tor seems  to  have  taken  the  lead.  His  long  and  useful  ministry 
forms  a  large  portion  of  the  history  of  the  Church  in  Massachu- 
setts. While  he  avoided  controversy  with  those  who  differed 
from  hina  in  theological  views,  he  was  zealous  in  contending  for 


I'J 


the  Cliiircli,  fi'tlifiil  in  proacliing  tlio  sosptl  and  industrious  in 
extondinj'  the  borders  of  the  Kinmh)ni  of  tlie  Lord.  His  acces- 
sion  to  the  E])iscopal  Church  mudait  a  fonnidable  body,  and 
Cotton  Matlierin  order  to  streuji^tlien  the  Independants  and 
secure  their  cxcdusive  rule,  requested,  in  tlie  name  of  the  assem- 
bled ministers  of  his  denomination,  that  a  Synod  might  be 
called.  Cutler  and  Myles  ])resented  a  memoi'ial  to  the  Cov- 
ernor  and  to  the  General  Court,  remonstrating  against  this 
measure,  and  sent  a  copy  of  the  memorial  to  the  Bisiiop  of 
]^ondun.  The  energetic  measures  taken  by  Dr.  Cutler,  in 
which  he  was  assisted  by  his  friend  J\lr.  John  Checkley,  secured 
an  order  from  the  Lords  in  Council,  forbidding  the  meeting  of 
the  Synod. 

After  Dr.  Cutler's  conversion  the  jiolicy  of  excluding  Church 
of  Enjfland  clercvmen  from  the  Jioard  of  Overseers  of  Har- 
vard  College  was  resolved  upon.  Harris,  who  held  a  seat  at 
the  Board  was  no  longer  sunimoned,  and  Cutler  and  Myles 
were  not  notified  of  the  meeting.  Cutler,  who  was  always  on 
the  alert  to  vindicate  the  rights  of  his  order,  claimed  that  they 
were  entitled  to  seats  as  teaching  elders  in  one  of  the  six 
neighboring  towns.  Arrayed  against  him  was  the  whole 
power  of  the  Lidependants  who  ruled  College  and  State.  It 
seemed  to  be  a  hopeless  task  to  attempt  to  move  them.  A  man 
of  less  courage  and  zeal  and  conscientious  fidelity  to  his  Church 
and  her  Divine  Lord,  would  have  desisted  from  an  undertaking 
that  could  only  render  him  unpopular.  Yet  Cutler  persevered 
until  it  was  finally  decided,  on  the  16th  of  June,  1730,  that  it 
was  not /'  within  the  intent  and  meaning  of  the  act  of  1642, 
that  Cutler^and  Myles  ought  to  be  deemed  members  of  the 
Board  of  Overseers." 

Dr.  Cutler  was  a  zealous  missionary.  He  founded  the 
Church  at  Dedham  and  officiated  there  once  a  month.  Besides 
caring  for, the  Church  at  Braintree,  he  preached  frequently  at 
Mendon,  Stoughton,  Sudbury,  Billcrica  and  Scituate.  His 
proceedings  at  Scituate  having  been  misrepresented  in  an  abusive 


20 


■::'  i 


article  in  the  Boston  News  Letter,  of  Aii^.  10,  1725,  a  i)ai)er 
clainiiiij^  to  be  jtuhlislieil  by  authority,  he  wrote  to  (Jov.  Duni- 
mer  denouiieiiigthe  statements  in  the  pajti-r  as  ''  tenilinn;  to  the 
ruin  of  his  reputation,  tlie  clisadvantajfe  of  his  labours  in  reIi<fion, 
the  discouragement  of  any  missionary  in  the  faithlid  discharge 
of  his  duty,  and  the  injury  of  the  Churdi  ol'  England,"  and 
demanding  "  reparation  to  his  character  and  protection  for  his 
Church."  In  consecjuence  of  this  spirited  remonstrance.  Gov. 
Dummer  ordered  that  the  words,  "published  by  authority," 
should  bo  removed  from  the  pa[)er. 

Dr.  Cutler's  sympathy  was  extended  towards  the  Ejtiscopa- 
lians  in  New  England,  who  were  taxed  to  support  the  Indepen- 
dant  teachers,  and  to  pay  for  building  and  repairing  their  meeting 
houses,  and  who,  if  they  failed  to  pay  these  taxes,  were  dejn'ived 
of  their  goods  and  tlirown  into  prison.  As  many  as  thirty 
were  in  prison  on  this  account  at  one  time  in  a  single  town. 
These  facts  were  stated  in  a  petition  signed  by  Cutler  and 
others,  addressed  to  the  King.  This  petition  was  referred  to  a 
Committee  of  the  Council  to  inquire  whether  the  Acts  of  the 
Assembly  wex-e  contrary  to  the  New  England  charter,  but 
no  action  was  ever  taken  upon  the  subject.  In  our  records 
are  accounts  of  the  proceedings  of  several  joint  meetings  of  th6 
Vestries  of  King's  Chapel  and  of  Christ  Church,  held  to  take 
measures  for  the  relief  of  those  who  were  fined  and  imprisoned 
for  not  supporting  a  ministry  and  mode  of  worship  of  which 
their  consciences  did  not  approve.  The  following  are  among 
the  votes  adopted,  "  That  the  committee  be  empowered  to  de- 
fend any  Churc'aman  that  shall  be  presented  for  travelling  t© 
or  coming  from  any  Church  of  England,  throughout  this  pro- 
vince for  the  worship  of  God,"  and  "  That  the  Committee  be 
empowered  to  defend  the  Church  of  England  Ministers  in  case 
they  should  be  prosecuted  in  any  of  the  courts  of  this  province 
for  marrying  according  to  the  custom  of  marrying  in  the 
Church  of  England,  provided  the  said  ministers  do  marry  ac- 
cording to  the  usage  in  the  Common  Prayer  Book  and  Canons 
of  the  said  Church." 


n 


The  rnlcrsof  tilt'  land  in  those  days  claimed  that  thoy  and 
their  fathers  had  left  their  native  soil  and  conifortahle  homes, 
tcm[)t('d  the  foaminjj;  hillows,  and  rested  in  the  howliiij^  wilder- 
ness amidst  nntamed  beasts  and  savage  men,  to  escape  from 
sjjiritual  tyranny  which  took  tlie  form  of  taxation  for  the  sup- 
j)ort  of  a  ministry  whoso  rites  and  doctrines  their  consciences 
could  not  aj)prove.  It  may  bo  said  in  their  defence  that  they 
were  no  worse  than  those  who  tyrannized  over  them  in  Eng- 
ind,  but  their  advocates  cannot  maintain  that  New  England 
was  settled  in  order  to  propagate  civil  and  religious  lil)erty. 

From  the  day  of  his  ordiiuition  to  the  close  of  his  ministry 
Dr.  Cutler  never  ceased,  as  he  had  opportunity,  to  urge  the 
appointment  of  a  Bishop  for  America.  But  the  ning  was 
indifferent,  and  the  ministry  were  imwilling  to  incur  the 
enmity  of  the  Dissenters,  and  for  political  reasons  they  refused 
the  petitions  of  the  Clergy  at  home  and  in  tlie  provinces. 
Earnest  and  good  men  were  lost  to  the  ministry  of  the  Church 
because  they  could  not  go  "  home  for  orders.''  Of  those  who 
went,  one-fiftii  died.  Confirmation  Avas  never  administered. 
The  scattered  clergy  Avere  discouraged.  Yet,  under  all  the  diffi- 
culties arising  from  the  Avant  of  Episcopal  oversight,  and  from  the 
hostility  of  the  dominant  sect  in  Ncav  England,  Dr.  Cutler  la- 
bored Avithout  ceasing  until  the  infirmities  of  age  compelled  him 
to  rest.  During  the  last  nine  years  of  his  life  he  Avas  unable  to 
perform  public  duty.  He  died  on  the  lith  of  August,  1765. 
In  the  funeral  sermon  preached  by  Dr.  Caner,  his  former 
pupil,  and  his  friend  of  many  years,  he  is  described  as  "  a  Avise, 
a  learned,  and  pious  man,  a  good  christian,  a  faithful  steAvard 
of  the  mysteries  of  God,  a  ti'ied  soldier  and  champion  of  Jesus 
Christ,  Avho,  in  prospect  of  the  recompense  of  reward  that 
was  set  before  him,  despised  the  froAvns  and  flatteries  of  the 
world,  maintained  his  great  Master's  cause  with  undaunted 
courage  and  steadfast  resolution,  and  is  now,  Ave  trust,  entered 
into  the  possession  of  the  joy  of  his  Lord." 

He  was  buried  under  the  chancel,  and  upon  a  small  slab 
may  be  read  the  following  inscription : — 


2:. 


"  ITpre  Lves  onf.irabed  the  Body  of  the  l{evd, 
TIMOTIIV  CUTLER,  D.D.,  first,  minister  of  tliis 
(^liuicii,  ci(!Coasitl  Aufist,  I'tli,  17(!5,  !isi<'(l  Bl  v^ars. 
Also  the  Body  of  Mrs.  ELIZAni  CUTLEIi,  widow 
of  the  above,  died  Sept  tlie  1.2th,  1771,  aged  81  years." 

During  the  first  part  of  Dr.  Cutler's  long  illness  his  duties 
were  performed  by  the  other  clergy  of  Boston.  James  Greaton, 
who  g''aduated  at  Yale  College  in  i754,  offered  to  act  as  lay 
reader,  and  his  services  were  accepted.  On  the  23rd  of  Oct. 
1759,  the  Wardens  and  Vestry  gave  Inir.  a  letter  of  rccommen- 
di.tion,  addressed  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  requesting  that  he 
might  be  ordained,  and  ajjpointed  to  serve  as  Dr.  Cutler's 
assistant.  Mr.  Greaton  went  to  England,  received  Deacon's 
and  Priest's  orders,  and  returned  to  Boston,  where  he  arrived 
on  the  30th  of  May,  1760. 

After  Dr.  Cutler's  death  an  unpleasant  controversy  arose  in 
the  congregation,  sadly  disturbing  the  peace  and  harmony  so 
long  enjoyed  under  the  first  Rector.  Long  letters  were  written 
to  the  Secretary  of  the  Venerable  Society  on  the  subject.  The 
Wardens  requested  that  Mr.  Greaton  should  be  appointed  suc- 
cessor to  Dr.  Cutler,  ])ivc  Ivobert  Jenkins  and  others  sent  a 
ren\onstrance  against  the  appointment.  Meetings  of  the  pro- 
prietors were  held.  Every  one's  right  to  vote  was  carefully 
scrutinized,  and  it  was  found  that  seventeen  of  those  who  signed 
the  remonstrance  were  not  proprietors  of  pews.  The  others 
yielded  to  the  wishes  of  the  majority,  and  Mr.  Greaton  was 
recommended  by  a  unanimous  vote.  Finding  it  however  im- 
possible to  unite  the  congregation  in  his  favor,  even  after  this 
decisive  vote,  Mr.  Greaton  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Society  on  the  28th  of  August,  1767,  requesting  a  removal 
from  this  mission. 

At  this  time,  as  we  learn  from  the  letter  of  the  Wardens,  the 
Church  was  "  commonly  well  filled  with  an  orderly  and  well 
behaved  congregation,  tho' poor,"  and  being  situated  "  at  the 
North  ])art  of  the  Town  Avhere  the  inhabitants  were  not  so 
wealthy  as  ihose  near  the  other  Churches,"  they  had  "a  larger 
proportion  of  the  poor  to  support  by  charity." 


23 


The  Wardens  were  very  ttiucli  (lisapprunted  when  thev  found 
that  the  parties  who  were  at  variance  couhl  not  he    united  in 
Greaton's  favor.     They  did  not  presume  to  determine  where 
the  fault  lay,  but  made  this  general  observation,  that  "  every 
man  is  not  eadowed  with  faculties  to  make  himself  serviceable 
and  agreeable  in  all  places,"  and  then  tried  to  find  a  person  in 
whom  they  might  form  a  union.     They  providentially  heard  of 
Mr.  Mather  Byies,  a  recent  convert  from  Congregationalism. 
He  was  the  son  of  Dr.  Mather  Byles,  Pastor  of  Ilollis  street 
Church,  graduated  at    Harvard    College  in    1751    and    was 
ordained  to  the  Congregational  ministry,  at  New  London,  in 
1757,  when  he  was  twenty-three  years  old.     He  relinquished 
his  charge  in  April,  17G8,  to  enter  a  communion  which  he  con- 
scientiously preferred,  proving  his  sincerity  by  returning  to  tlie 
people  among  whom  he  was  settled  the  whole   sum  of"  £180 
,,:  'en  to  him  when  he  first  came  to  them.     The  proprietors  of 
this  Church  on  Easter  Monday,  17G8,  empowered  and  instruct- 
ed the  Wardens   and  Vestry  to  invite  Mr.  Byles  to   be   their 
minister.      They  also  raised  a  sum  of  money  to  assist  in  pay- 
ing his  expenses  in  going  to  England  for  orders,  and  agreed  to 
give  him  £100  per  annum.     He  accepted  the  invitation,  came 
to  Boston,  and  saile.lfor  England,  taking  with  him  the  proper 
testimonials  to  be  laid  before  the  Bishop  of  London.     After  his 
Ordination  he  was  ajjpointed  missionary  by  the  Venerable  So- 
ciety and  returned  to  Boston,  where  he  arrived  on  the  28tli  of 
September,   and   was  cordially    received   by  his   parishioners. 
He  found  one  hundred  families    and   fifty  communicants.      He 
was  ?  faithful  and  laborious  pastor.     In  our    Register  we  find 
nine.^ -eight  baptisms  recorded  by  him  in   a  single  year.     He 
was  a  gentleman  of  amiable  character  and  a  very  acceptable 
preacher,  and  might  have  continued  to  be  Rector  of  Christ 
Church  for  many  years  had  it  not  been  for  I  he  breaking  out  of 
the  War  that  separated  the  colonies  from   the  mother  cH)untry. 
In  a  difference  that  unhappily  occurred  between  him  and  his 
congregation  he  nobly  yielded  his  just  claims  for  the  sake  of 


24 


peace.     The  Society  for  propajratiug  the  Gospel  made  him  an 
allowance  of  .£40  a  year,  in  addition  to  the  £100  voted  by  the 
Parish,  but  the  people,  thinkino;  themselves  entitled  to   one-iutlf 
of  the  Society's  bounty,  refused  to  pay  him   more  than  £80  a 
year.     Dr.  Byles  being  encouraged  by  the  Secretary  to  main- 
tain his  rights,  manifested  his  dissent  from  the  view  taken  by 
the  proprietors,  by  declining  to  officiate   for  two  Sundays,  and 
eijihteen  of  his  friends  surrendered  their  seats.     But  when  he 
found  that  the  good  of  the  Church  demanded  the  sacrifice  he 
acquiesced  with  their  proposals  and  retui'ned  to  his  charge. 
Like  his  father,  he  was  a  staunch  loyalist,  and  the  revolutionary 
spirit  was  already  at  work  in  his  own   congregation.     Some 
remained,  like  their  minister,  true  to  their  old  allegiance  ;  but 
many  sympathized  with  the  friends  of  liberty,  and  Dr.  Byles 
finding  that  an  implacable  spirit  jjrevailed,  communicated  to  his 
Vestry,  on  Easter  Tuesday,  1775,  an  invitation  which  he  had 
received  to  become  the  minister  of  St.  John's  Church,  Ports- 
mouth, N.  H.     The  result  was  their  parting  by  mutual  consent. 
The  last  baptism  recorded  by  his  hand  was  on  the  11th  of 
April,  the  last  burial  on  Easter  ^^^-e,  April  the  15th,  and  the 
last  marriage  on  the  17th.     Th    )• 'a  of  April,  Easter  Tuesday 
1775,  is  a  memorable    day  in   oui  annals,  connecting  the  his- 
tory of  this  Church  with  that  of  the  Nation.     It  was  the  last 
day  of  the  Rectorship  of  a  clergyman  owing  allegiance  to  the 
King  of  Great  Britain.     That  evening,    the  Sexton  of  Christ 
Church,  Robert  Newman,  sat  quietly  in  his   house  on  Salem 
street,  opposite  Bennett  street,  assuming  an  unconcerned  look 
and  manner  to  av' ert  the  suspicion  of  the  English  officers  who 
were  quartered  upon  him,  but  impatiently  expecting  the  arrival 
of  a  friend,  a  sea  captain,  who  was  watching  the  movements 
of  the   Regulars.     On  the  other  side  of  the  river  was   Paul 
Revere,  waiting  for  them  to  communicate  to  him  the  intentions 
of  the  Enijlish. 


"  If  Iho.  British  mardi 
By  land  or  sea  from  tlie  town  to  uiglit 


25 

Hang  a  lantern  aloft  iff  the  belfry  arch 

Of  the  North  Church  tower  as  a  signal  light :         -T'.  - ' 

One  if  by  land  and  two  if  by  sea : 

And  I  on  the  opposite  shore  will  be 

Ready  to  ride  and  spread  the  alarm 

Through  every  Middlesex  village  and  farm 

For  the  country  folk  to  be  up  and  to  arm." 

Mr.  Newman  succeeded  in  eluding  the  vigilance  of  his  un- 
welcome guests,  took  down  the  church  keys,  and  with  two 
lanterns  in  his  hand,  went  out,  met  his  friend,  heard  the  news 
he  brought,  opened  the  church  door  and  locked  it  again  after 
him,  and  went 

"  Up  the  wooden  stairs  with  stealthy  tread 
To  the  belfry  chamber  over  head 
And  startled  the  pigeons  from  their  perch 
On  the  sombre  rafters  that  round  him  made 
Masses  and  moving  shapes  of  shade, 
Up  the  light  ladder  slender  and  tall 
To  the  highest  window  la  the  wall." 

Paul  Revere,  from  Charlestown,  by  his  horse's  side 

"  Watched  with  eager  search 
The  belfry  tower  of  the  old  North  Church  *,•-.'>";;,: ;.!  y&  V 
,    As  it  rose  above  the  graves  on  the  hill 
.  Lonely  and  spectral  and  sombre  and  still 

■■•I-     And  lo!  as  he  looks  on  the  belfry's  height  •    •,  .t  jiv. 

A  glimmer,  and  then  a  gleam  of  light;  '    ' 

IIo  springs  to  the  saddle,  the  bridle  he  turns 
■  '  -     But  lingers  and  gazes  till  full  on  his  sight 

A  second  lamp  in  the  belfry  burns." 

The  twin  lights  from  this  steeple  waked   the  fires  of  wa  . 
and  symbolized  two  mighty  changes.     The   colonies  becan 
an  independent  nation,  and  the  Church  of  England  in  this  lai 
is  the  Pro  jstant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States.     If 
Robert  Newman's  courage  or  patience,  or  firmness  or  self- 
control  had  failed  him  for  an  instant,  Paul  Revere  would  have 
looked  in  vain,  across  the  dark  waters  at  the  tall  steeple  risin«J- 
above  Copp's  hill.     When  his  task  was  done  Mr.  Newman 
came  down,  passed  through  the  Church,  jumped  out  of  a  back 
window,  Avent  round  through  Unity  and  Bennett  streets  to  his 
house,  and  succeeded  in  entering  it  without  being  observed. 
The  British  found  him  in  bed.     They  arrested  him  and  threw 


26 


him  into  jail.  But  he  liatl  taken  such  wise  precautions  that 
nothing  could  be  proved,  and  he  was  set  at  liberty. 

Dr.  Byles  writes,  that  when  his  Vestry  accepted  his  resigna- 
tion he  agreed  to  go  to  Portsmouth,  but  tlie  very  next  day  the 
war  broke  out,  and  there  came  no  rcfjly  to  liis  letter  of  accept- 
ance. New  England  was  in  an  upro>vr.  Boston  was  bi;sieged. 
It  was  impossible  to  attempt  a  removal,  and  Portsmouth  itself 
was  in  the  most  distracted  state  imaginable.  Christ  Church 
waa  closed  on  that  memorable  night.  Of  the  loyal  clergy 
Sargent  of  Cambridge  and  A^'eeks  of  Marblehe:id  fled  for  their 
lives.  Byles,  Caner  and  AV alter,  with  one  or  two  who  had 
taken  refuge  in  Boston,  met  witli  difficulty  and  distress  in  every 
shape.  Those  who  were  on  the  British  side  were  exposed  in 
town  to  famine,  and  in  the  country  to  the  sword.  All  who 
could,  left  for  England  or  the  Provinces.  Christ  Church, 
Cambridge,  wa?  used  as  a  baiTacks  by  the  Americans.  Dr. 
Byles  offered  to  officiate  in  his  old  Church,  but  his  proposal 
was  treated  with  neglect.  He  lost  his  salary  and  his  property, 
he  says,  "  in  the  ruins  of  his  country."  Shut  out  from  this 
church  he  visited  the  hospitals,  preached  as  he  had  oppoi'tunityj 
baptized  thirty-eight  and  attended  fifty-six  funerals. 

Dr.  Byles  could  not  forget  that  he  was  a  subject  of  the  King 
of  Great  Britain  and  bound  to  him  by  his  oath  of  allegiance. 
He  had  promised  to  conform  to  the  English  Liturgy.  He  was 
a  minister  vmder  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Bishop  of  London,  and 
in  the  employment  of  the  Society  for  [iropagating  the  Gospel. 
He  could  not  cease  to  considei  i;:t;lvuig  the  Sovereign  of  this 
country,  unless  he  should  relinquish  the  right  to  govern  it. 
He  went  into  exile,  m  poverty,  because  it  was  right,  cheering 
himself  with  the  promise,  "  Fear  none  of  those  things  which 
thou  shalt  suffer.  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give 
thee  a  crown  of  life."  He  went  to  Halifax  in  1771),  being 
* '  well  convinced  that  if  the  government  should  not  be  re-estab- 
lished no  Episcopal  Church  would  be  tolerated  in  New  Eng- 
land." He  is  named  in  the  act  of  1778,  which  proscribed  and 
banished  Gov.  Hutchinson,   Gov.  Bernard  and  many  of  the 


27 


most  respectable  men  of  Boston.  By  this  decree  It  was  enact- 
ed that  if  any  of  the  persons  named  in  it  should  return,  it  be- 
came the  duty  of  every  person  to  apprehend  them  and  bring 
them  before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  who  was  required  to  commit 
them  to  jail,  there  to  remain  until  they  could  be  sent  out  of  the 
state  into  the  dominions  of  tlie  King  of  Great  Britain  ;  and  if 
they  returned  again  they  were  to  suffer  the  pains  of  death, 
without  benefit  of  clergy. 

At  Halifax  Dr.  Byles  was  appointed  Chaplain  to  the  Garri- 
son, apd  Assistant  to  Dr.  Breynton,  Rector  of  St.  Paul's,  by 
whose  kind  generosity  the  refugee  clergy  were  greatly  aided. 
Dr.  Breynton's  portrait  hangs  in  our  Vestry-room  with  those 
of  Drs.  Cutler,  Walter  and  Caner.  In  1788  Dr.  Byles  was 
appointed  Rector  of  the  Parish  of  St.  John,  New  Brunswick, 
on  the  death  of  the  first  rector,  the  Rev.  George  Bissett.  He 
died  on  the  12th  of  March,  1814,  in  his  eightieth  year.  His 
first  wife  was  Dr.  Walter's  sister.  His  second  wife  was  Sarah 
Lyde,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  1777,  at  Halifax. 

In  Trinity  Church,  St.  John,  is  a  mural  tablet  with  the  ff '  - 

lowing  inscription : 

Sacred 

To  the  memory  of  the 

Rev.  Mather  Byles,  D.U., 

Hector  of  this  Parish 

anil 

Ch'aplaiu  of   the  Garrisou 

Twenty-live  years 
Died  on  the  12th  of  March 
1814 
In  his  ^iOth  year. 
Father  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit 
St.  Luke  c.  23,  v.  46. 

This  monument  was  erected 
By  his  affecliouate  wife 

S.  Byles. 

The  Episcopal  Church  was  paralyzed  by  the  renciing  asunder 
of  the  ties  which  bound  its  members  to  the  home  of  their 
fathers.  The  support  of  the  Venerable  Society  was  with- 
drawn. In  the  minds  of  the  people  the  English  Church  was 
identified  with  the  British  Government.  Bishops  were  mem- 
bers of  the  aristocracy.     Our  foi'ms  of  prayer   contained  pe- 


28 


titions  for  the  King.  There  were  a  few  clergymen  who  felt 
themselves  absolved  from  their  oaths  of  alleo;iance  bv  the  Dec- 
laration  of  Independence,  and  they  gathered  the  feeble,  scat- 
tered fragments  of  our  older  churches.  In  1778  the  French 
Congregation,  as  it  was  then  called,  received  from  the  Ameri- 
can Government  leave  to  use  this  church,  which  had  been 
closed  since  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  and  it  came  very  near 
being  lost  to  our  communion,  but  those  proprietors  who  had 
remained  in  town  when  the  British  left,  persuaded  the  Rev; 
Mr.  Parker,  of  Trinity  Church,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Massachu- 
setts, to  preach  in  it  every  Sunday  afternoon,  "by  which 
means,"  says  Mr.  ^yeeks  in  his  account  of  the  state  of  the 
Church  in  1778,  "  it  remains  untouched."  Tiie  first  minister 
who  officiated  regularly  was  the  Rev.  Stephen  Lewis,  who 
took  charge  of  the  parish  from  August  1778  to  September 
1784.  By  a  vote  of  the  Vestry  in  1779,  Mr.  Lewis  was 
"  desired  to  prepare  a  proper  form  of  prayer  for  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States,  for  the  several  States,  and  for  their  suc- 
cess in  the  present  important  contest,  to  be  used  daily  in  the 
church."  The  prayers  for  the  King  and  Royal  family  were 
omitted,  and  in  other  respects  the  clergy  of  those  days  conformed 
to  the  English  Liturgy.  One  of  our  old  Prayer  B  loks  lias 
paper  pasted  over  the  "  State  Prayers,"  and  was  probably  used 
by  Mr.  Lewis. 

Between  1784  and  1787  the  north  wall  of  tlie  church  was 
covered  with  clapboards  to  protect  it  from  the  weather.  This 
must  have  been  a  heavy  tax  upon  the  resources  of  the  thirteen 
proprietors  and  the  small  congregation  of  that  time.  Many 
were  the  expedients  to  which  the  Vestry  resorted  to  pay  the 
debts  of  the  church,  and  to  keep  the  roof  and  steeple  in  repair. 
Even  the  communion  plate  was  pledged  to  the  creditors  of  the 
parish.  Mr.  William  Montague,  who  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College  in  1784,  was  employed  as  a  lay-reader  in  1786,  and 
at  the  request  of  the  congregation  he  obtained  Holy  Orders  in 
June  1787.  He  continued  to  officiate  until  1792,  but  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  the  stated  minister  of  the  parish  dur- 


29 


Ing  all  that  period.  On  the  2(1  of  August  1790,  the  Vestry- 
voted  to  close  with  the  offer  of  Mr.  .Joseph  Warren  as  a  reader. 
On  the  6th  of  September  the  Wardens  were  appointed  to  wait 
on  the  Rev.  Mr.  Montague  and  desire  him  to  preach  on  the 
following  Sunday.  At  the  same  meeting  it  was  voted  that 
this  chui'ch  is  destitute  of  a  minister,  and  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  wait  on  the  Rev,  Dr.  Walter,  "  to  lay  before  him 
the  true  state  of  this  church,  and  ask  him  the  question  whether 
he  will  undertake  to  be  the  minister  of  this  church  in  our  pres- 
ent low  circumstances." 

The  Rev.  William  Walter  was  the  son  of  the  Rev.  Nathan- 
iel Walter,  a  Congregational  clergyman  of  Roxbury,  and  a 
direct  descendant  from  the  Rev.  Neliemiah  Walter,  who  was 
the  colleague,  and  afterwards  the  successor  of  the  "  Apostle 
Eliot"   in  the  "  first  church  "  at  Roxbury. 

William  Walter,  was  born  October  7,  1737,  and  graduated 
at  Harvai'd  College  in  1756.  After  leaving  college  he 
taught  a  school  in  Salem,  and  subsequently  received  an 
appointment  in  the  Custom  House.  When  he  became  a 
convert  to  the  Episcopal  Chui'ch,  Mr.  E.irnard,  an  emi- 
nent Congregational  minister,  recommended  him  to  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Hooper,  Rector  of  Triniiy  Church,  in  a  letter  dated 
October  15,  1763,  as  one  of  the  beat  classical  scholars  in  his 
class,  adding,  in  his  quaint  language,  "  he  is  of  that  tender- 
ness and  softness  in  complexion  which  would  render  him 
agreeable  to  people  in  sickness  and  distress  when  they  have 
the  best  relish  for  the  company  of  a  clergyman." 

Mr.  Walter  went  to  England,  was  ordained  by  the  Bishop 
of  London,  and  was  appointed  assistant  to  Mr.  Hooper  in 
July  1764.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Hooper,  he  became  Rector 
of  Trinity  Church,  where  he  continued  to  officiate  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  Then  feeling  it  to 
be  his  duty  to  observe  his  ordin.ation  vows  and  his  oath  of 
allegiance,  and  to  continue  to  pray  for  the  King,  whom  he 
was  bound  to  honor  and  obey,  he  sacrificed  his  home,  his 
property  and  his  rectorship  and  went  into  exile.     He  was  con- 


30 


sclentiously  loyal  to  what  he  considered  hia  country,  and  tor 
the  laws  botli  of  the  Church  of  England  and  of  the  Kingdom 
of  Great  Britain.  In  consequence  of  his  losses,  which 
amounted  to  £7,000,  he  received  a  grant  of  land  from  the 
Crown  in  Shelburne,  Nova  Scotia,  where  lie  resided  fo.  some 
years,  having  been  appointed  Rector  or  St.  George's  Church 
in  that  town.  "  His  voice,"  wrote  one  who  heard  him  preach 
there,  '♦  was  clear,  distinct,  reverential,  and  exciting  instanta- 
neous interest ;  his  manner  uncommonly  graceful  yet  dignified, 
and  his  sermon  instructive,  elegantly  written,  and  well  de- 
livered." A  lady,  who  is  descended  from  Dr.  Walter,  visited 
Shelburne  last  summer  and  found  St.  George's  Church  almost 
precisely  similar  to  our  own  church  in  its  interior.  The  Dean, 
Dr.  White,  who  was  holding  a  service  there,  Rhowed  her 
Dr.  Walter's  letter  of  resignation,  and  introduef^d  her  to  an 
old  lady  who  remembered  hearing  her  father  say  that  the  "light 
of  the  church  went  out  when  Dr.  Walter  left."  Having  come 
into  the  possession  of  property  here  through  his  wife,  the 
dauj,hter  of  Chi(!f  Justice  Lynde,  of  Salem,  Dr.  Walter  was 
obliged  to  make  frequent  journeys  to  Boston,  and  finding  these 
long  and  tedious  he  was  induced  to  return  to  this  country. 
It  was  during  one  of  his  visits  to  Boston,  in  1790,  that  he  was 
invited  to  take  charge  of  Christ  Church.  The  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  by  Great  Britain 
had  removed  every  obstacle  to  his  acceptance  of  the  invitation, 
and  on  the  4th  of  October  he  infoi-med  the  Vestry  that  he  expect- 
ed to  sail  for  Shelburne,  and  he  wished  to  know  whether  it  was 
still  their  desire  that  on  his  return  he  should  take  on  him  the 
office  of  their  minister. 

Mr.  Montague  finally  declined  officiating  any  longer  as  the 
minister  of  this  parish  in  May,  1792,  and  Dr.  Walter  was  chosen 
Rector  on  the  29th  of  that  month.  He  remained  In  chargfe  of 
this  parish  for  more  than  eight  years,  fulfilling  the  duties  of 
his  office  until  the  close  of  his  earthly  career. 

He  lived  In  Charter  street,  In  the  house  built  by  Sir  William 
Phipps,  which  had  a  spacious  court-yard,  shaded  by  ♦'  solemn 


31 


elms."  He  was  a  tall,  hamlsome,  and  well  proportioned  man. 
He  wore  tlie  full  wig,  dressed  and  powdered,  and  a  three  cor- 
nered hat,  black  cloth  knee-breeches,  black  silk  hose,  and 
square  .quartered  shoes,  with  large  silver  buckles.  In  the 
street  he  had  on  over  his  cassock  and  gown  a  long  blue  cloak, 
and  even  in  republican,  days  he  maintained  the  dignity  of  the 
Church.  He  was  happy  in  the  possession  of  a  genial  temper- 
ament. His  voice  was  clear,  musical  and  well  modulated,  and 
he  is  said  to  have  read  tiie  service  "  like  one  inspired." 

He  preached  for  the  last  time  on  the  23d  of  November,  and 
died  on  the  5th  of  December,  1800.  His  funeral  was  attended 
by  the  clergy  from  neighboring  towns,  the  officers  stationed  at 
the  Navy  Yard,  the  societies  to  which  he  belonged,  and  by 
citizens  of  all  classes.  Fifty  pairs  of  black  gloves,  and  as 
many  scarfs  of  white  linen,  Avere  given  to  the  chief  mourners, 
and  the  long  procession,  reaching  from  his  house  to  Hanover 
street,  after  passing  through  several  streets,  came  to  the  church, 
where,  at  the  request  of  the  Vestry,  the  burial  service  was 
read  by  Dr.  Gardiner,  and  the  sermon  was  preached  by  Dr. 
Parker.  His  remains  rest  in  the  family  tomb  beneath  the 
church. 

An  obituary  notice  says  of  liim,  "  In  the  death  of  this  truly 
valuable  minister  religion  mourns  the  loss  of  one  of  her  most 
obedient  children  and  brightest  ornaments  ;  the  church  over 
which  he  presided  a  zealous  pastor  and  her  great  glory  ;  hu- 
manity a  firm  friend  :  literatiu'e  and  science  a  scholar  and 
support ;  his  disconsolate  children  a  fond,  instructive  and  dig- 
nifjed  parent ;  his  other  relations  and  acquaintances  a  most 
faithful  counsellor,  and  the  poor  an  upright  steward  and  be- 
nevolent almoner." 

In  1789  an  act  of  incorporation  was  pi'ocured  from  the 
General  Court.  In  the  same  year  this  parish  declined  to  send 
delegates  to  a  proposed  convention  in  Salem,  as  requested  by 
St.  Paul's  Church,  Newburyport,  and  appointed  Dr.  Parker 
to  represent  it  in  the  General  Convention  on  the  29th  of  Sep- 
tember, at  Philadelphia.     Delegates  were  chosen  to  represent 


32 


this  parish  in  a  Convention  held  in  Boston  in  1791,  to  prepare 
a  constitution  for  the  government  of  the  churches  in  this  State, 
and  it  appears  from  the  journals  of  our  Diocesan  Conventicms 
that,  in  their  annual  meetings,  there  were  lay  delegates. present 
from.  Christ  Church,  together  with  the  minister  for  the  time 
being.  Oir  earliest  volume  of  the  liecords  of  the  Vestry, 
after  alluding  to  many  desperate  struggles  with  poverty  and 
debt,  ends  with  Dr.  Walter's  funeral.  The  succeeding  vol- 
ume is  lost. 

In  May  1801,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Haskell  succeeded  to  the 
Rectorship,  in  which  position  he  continued  until  September, 
1803,  when  he  I'esigned  to  take  charge  of  the  Church  in 
Gardiner,  Maine. 

At  that  time  our  feeble  and  depressed  parishes  were  glad 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  services  of  young  men  who  were  pre- 
paring for  the  Congregational  ministry,  and  who  were  willing 
to  act  as  lay  readers.  William  Jenks,  afterwards  the  highly 
respected  and  well-known  Dr.  Jenks,  of  Boston,  read  the  ser- 
vice in  Christ  Church,  Cambridge,  and  there  Asa  Eaton,  a 
college  student,  first  became  acquainted  with  the  Liturgy  of 
oar  Church.  He  was  born  at  Plaistow,  N.  H.,  July  25,  1778, 
and  is  supposed  to  have  had  in  view,  while  engaged  in  classical 
studies,  the  ministry  of  the  Congregationalists.  Upon  his 
graduation  at  Harvard  College  in  1803,  he  was  invited  to 
officiate  as  lay-reader  in  this  Church.  He  accepted  the  Invita- 
tion and  entered  upon  the  duties  on  the  23rd  of  October.  He 
continued  his  studies,  became  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the 
claims  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  prepared  himself  for  the 
sacred  ministry.  In  1805  he  was  solicited  by  the  congregation 
to  apply  for  holy  orders.  Dr.  Parker  had  been  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Massachusetts,  as  successor  to  Bishop  Bass,  on  the 
14th  of  September,  1804,  and  died  on  the  6th  of  December. 
There  being  no  Bishop  here,  Mr.  Eaton  went  to  New  York 
and  was  ordained  deacon  on  the.  31st  of  July,  and  priest  on 
the  2nd  of  August,  by  Bishop  Benjamin  Moore,  In  Trinity 
Church  in  that  city. 


88 


By  the  Divine  blcs.sing  upon  liis  fiiitliful   labors   this  parish 
rose  in  tlie  course  of  twenty  years,  to  alii^h  state  of  [)rosperity. 
In  1812  there  were  sixteen  baptisms,  sixty  cominunieants  ami 
as  many  families.    The  number  of  baptisms  gradually  inci'eascd 
to  ninety-one  in  1818,  and  the  number  of  communicants   to 
two  hundred  and  twenty.     Between  1805  and  182.'5,  when  he 
preached  the  centennial  sermon  in  this  church,  Mr.  Eaton  had 
presented  two  hundred    and  thirty-eiglit  for  confirmation  and 
admitted  two  hundred   and  seventy  to   the  holy  ctMumunion. 
The  congregation    numbered   live    hundred   persons.     When 
evening  lectures  were  not  common    in  our  churches,  and  were 
regarded  with  su3[)icion  by  the  more  conservative  of  our  clergy 
and  people,  Mr.  Eaton  cs*tablished  a  third  service  on  Sun- 
day evenings  and  maintained  it  for  many  years,  although  it 
was  known  that  the  labor  was  wearing  upon  his  health,  and  so 
brought  the  Church  to  the  knowledge  of  many  who  were  entire 
strangers  to  her  doctrines  and  worship.     lie  devoted  one  eve- 
ning in  the  week  to  a  parlor  meeting  for  prayer  and  pastoral 
instruction.     He  extended  his  labors  beyond  his  own  parish, 
and  took  a  prominent  i)art  in  the  formation  of  the    Eastern 
Diocese  and  the  election  of  Bishop  Griswold,  and  was  one  of 
the  few  clergy,  often  not  more  than  four,  who  attended    our 
Diocesan  Conventions.     lie  held  at  one  time  the  Kectorship 
of  Christ  Church,  Cambridge,  and  suj)plicd  his  own  pulpit  in 
order  to  officiate  there  from  time  to  time.     He  extended  the 
same  care  to  the  new  St.   Mary's  Church,    Newton   Lower 
Ealls,   aided  in  the  establishment  of  new  Churches  at  South 
Boston  and  Lynn,  and  helped  to  keep  alive  the  old  parishes  of 
Quincy,  Marblehead  an(i  BridgcAvater.     *' In  standing,"  saya 
Dr.  Edson,  "  the  parish  had  become  at  least  the  second  in  the 
State.     In  point  of  life  and  efficiency,  as  a  member  of  the 
whole,  it  was  first.     It  was  the  point  to  which  poor  and  feeble 
parishes  instinctively  addressed  themselves." 

In  June,  1815,  Dr.  Eaton,  with  the  concurrence  and  help 
of  his  Wardens  Shubael  Bell  and  Thomas  Clark,  established 
the  first  Sunday  School  in  this  region.     Young  men,  full  of 


u 


i' 

I 


•I  li 


zeal,  cnmc  to  help  the  new  eiiterprl^-c,  and  !un()ii;j^  the  caillcr 
teuchcra  we  find  the  names  of  many  •who  heeame  cler'ryinen, 
includinir  tlie  Uev.  Dr.  Edson,  and  Dr.  Price  of  New  York, 
and  f '  ^  late  Dr.  B.  C.  Cutler.  It  was  at  fn>t  ealled  the  Salem 
street,  Sunday  School.  Its  sessions  of  two  hours  in  the  morning 
and  <me  hour  and  a  (jnarter  in  tiie  afternoon,  were  held  in  the 
Academy  that  stood  next  to  the  Church  on  the  north  side. 
Afterwards  the  si'hool  met  in  the  church  ;:;alieries,  and  for  a 
while  in  the  Kliot  school  house.  Mr.  Joseph  W.  Ingraham, 
whose  name  is  identified  with  our  puMic  primary  school  system, 
was  the  energetic  superintendent  for  twenty  years. 

Mr.  Shuhacl  Bell,  the  zealous  and  liberal  coadjutor  of  his 
Rector  in  all  church  work,  presented  the  Altar  pie(!e  and  the 
Decalogue,  and  also  the  Bust  of  Washington.  This  bust,  execut- 
ed by  an  Italian  artist,  is  said  to  have  been  carried  in  proces- 
sion when  funeral  obsequies  were  performed  in  Boston  after 
Washington's  death,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  first 
monument  erected  in  his  honor.  The  picture  of  ovir  Saviour 
instituting  the  last  Supper  was  painted  by  Mr.  Penniman. 
The  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  re[)resentcd  by  a  dove, 
with  three  cherubs,  over  the  chancel,  was  executed  by  Mr. 
Johnson.  Below  this  are  the  words,  "  This  is  none  other 
than  the  House  of  God  and  this  is  the  Gato  of  Heaven."  Un- 
der the  picture  of  our  Lord  is  the  command,  "Do  this  in 
remembrance  of  me,"  and  beneath  the  tablets  contaiuinir  the 
Commandments,  are  the  words,  "The  law  was  given  by 
Moses.  Gi'ace  and  Truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ."  The  two 
tablets  of  the  law  are  separated  by  two  other  tablets  on  which 
are  the  Lord's  Prayer  and  the  Creed. 

Dr.  Eaton  received  the  degree  of  S.  T.  D.,  from  Columbia 
College  in  1828.  The  next  year,  finding  an  infirmity  of  voice 
increasing,  he  resigned  the  Kectorship.  He  was  a  lover  of 
truth  and  had  a  remarkable  faculty  for  weighing  evidence. 
Cautious  and  scrupulously  careful  in  making  up  his  mind,  he 
felt  perfect  confidence  in  the  result  of  his  mature  deliberation. 
His  judgment  was  clear  and  sound.     His  love  for  the  Church's 


85 


wfiys,  Jind  services,  and  eiKstonirf  was  fouiuled  upon  liia  firm 
conviction  that  the  Church  is  ri^ht.  Alter  leavin<,f  this  parish 
lie  became  City  jMiysionary.  In  1837  he  removed  to  Now 
Jersey  to  be  chaplain  and  head  of  the  family  at  St.  Mary's 
Hall,  l^urliijoton.  lie  returned  to  Boston  and  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days  here.  We  remember  him  well,  his  vener- 
able form  and  liis  gracious  demeanor.  Ills  long  and  useful 
life  was  extended  over  a  period  of  almost  fouNscore  years. 
lie  died  on  the  24th  of  March,  18;")8,  in  his  eightieth  year. 

On  the  18th  of  October,  1828,  before  it  was  known  that 
Dr.  Eaton  thought  of  relinquishing  his  Rectorship,  a  committee 
was  ap[)ointed  to  procui'e  an  assistant  for  him  in  his  duties. 
They  were  informed  by  the  Kev.  G.  W.  Doane,  of  Ti-inity 
Church,  afterwards  the  Bishop  of  New  Jersey,  that  William 
Croswell,  of  I/artford,  a  poet  and  a  scholar,  was  soon  to  be 
ordained,  and  on  the  11th  of  January,  1829,  they  wrote  to 
him  expressing  a  desire  to  see  and  become  acquainted  with 
him.  Mr.  Croswell  was  ordained  deacon  in  Trinity  Church, 
New  Haven,  of  which  his  father  was  the  Hector,  on  the  25th 
of  January.  In  April  he  visited  Boston,  and  preached  in 
Christ  Church.  At  this  time,  unexpectedly  to  him,  Dr. 
Eaton  resigned,  and  on  the  13th  of  May,  Mr.  Croswell  was 
chosen  his  successor.  He  accepted,  entered  upon  his  new 
office  on  the  31st,  and  was  ordained  Priest,  and  instituted  in 
this  Church,  on  the  24th  of  June,  being  then  in  his  25th  year. 
In  the  memoir,  written  by  his  father,  may  be  found  a  full 
account  of  the  eleven  years  of  his  pastorate.  He  preached 
usually  three  times  on  Sunday,  baj)tized  large  numbers  of 
children,  attended  the  Sunday  School,  and  performed  a  great 
amount  of  pastoral  duty.  In  1835,  he  declined  an  invitation  to 
Norwalk,  writing  to  his  father  that  he  had  "  an  ancient  and 
respectable  parish,  one  of  the  most  reverend  and  dclightfid  old 
Churches  to  l)e  found  in  this  country,  a  people  attached  to  him 
and  satisfied  with  him  and  a  prospect  of  increasing  and  perma- 
nent usefulness."     The  next  year  he  I'efused  an  offer  of  the 


86 


It '1 


position  of  Assistant  Minister  of  All  Saints'  Clmrcli,  New 
York.  His  poetic  taste,  warm  heart  and  sincere  devotion  to 
liis  master's  work,  won  tlie  .uliniration  and  affocti(ni  of  his  peo- 
ple. The  nnmber  of  conimnnicants,  which  had  been  rednccd 
after  St.  Paul's  Church  was  built  in  1820,  gradually  rose  to 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five,  and  the  Sunday  School  ninn- 
bered  over  three  hundred  scholars.  Dr.  Eaton  was  a  friend 
and  father  to  him.  His  own  hynuis  were  sung  by  his  own 
people.  His  home  was  for  a  while  in  the  building  now  use  1 
for  the  Sunday  School,  which  he  playfully  styled  "  the  cloisters 
of  Crip])le  gate."  He  likened  the  steep  stairs  up  Avhich  the 
children  clambered  into  the  upper  school  room  to  the  ladder 
of  fiiith, 

"  Wliereoii  their  souls  m;iy  riso  ' 

And  make  thrmiuli  Christ  llieii"  entrance  snre 
To  mansions  in  the  slvios — " 

He  often  came  from  his  study  into  the  Church  at  dead  of 
night,  and  "  felt,"  he  writes,  "  oppressed" 

•*  To  know  tliat  in  the  lofty  room 

I  was  tlie  only  livinyr  guest. 
The  ticking  of  yon  ancient  clock 

Tiiat  niarki  ilie  solemn  tread  of  Time, 
Against  my  heart-strings  si-cined  to  knoi^k. 

And  hark!  those  Christmas  hells  subliisiel 
So  liiiv(!  they  rung  a  hundred  years, 

And  on  the  cars  that  heard  them  llrst 
The  chiming  of  the  starry  spheres 

With  their  enrapturing  tones  has  burst."  - 

In  his  Christmas  Eve  Pastoral  there  is  an  allusion  to   the 
figures  upon  the  organ  gallery  :  • 

"  And  now  a  joyous  echo  rings  ' 

And  seems  the  whole  angelic  row, 
That  o'er  the  rood-lolt  |)oi.-.e  tiieir  winss, 
Their  loud  uplifteil  trumps  to  blow." 

It  was  hard  for  him  to  leave  the  Church  which  he  loved  so 

well,  and  the  correspondence  attending  his  resignation  in  1840, 

when  he  removed  to  Auburn,  honorable  alike  to  pastor  and 

people,  proves  that  his  many  friends   snftcrcd  him  to  go  with 

great  reluctance.     The  proprietors  testified  to  his  faithful  and 

unremitting  exertions  to  advance  not  only  the  interests  of  the 


V 


37 


parisli  but  those  of  the  Church  at  larGfe  in  the  Diocese,  to  his 
many  sacrifices  and  to  his  unbounded  liberality.  The  Bishop, 
the  clergy  and  many  of  the  laity  joined  in  testimonials  of 
esteem  and  expressions  of  regret  at  his  going.  Such  a  loving 
ministry  was  well  concluded  by  this  beautiful  exercise  of  chris- 
tian   affection.       Once    more   he   addressed    this    venerable 

sanctuary: 

"  Not  for  tliy  pomp  and  priue  of  place. 
Not  for  tliy  velins  rare 
Of  Kings,  and  iiiinialcrs  of  itrace 
':]':•      .       . '"  Wliose  names  l.liy  vessds  b(-ar:  ', 

Not  for  thy  biiust  of  liigl)  dffiree, 

Nor  cliarms  of  fforgeous  .style,      .      • 
Hast  thou  been  ever  dear  to  me, 

Olliou,  time-honoured  pile! 
^  But  for  thy  constant  truth,  wliich  still  i 

Preserves  from  age  to  age 
Unmoved  Miroufjh  j,'ood  report  and  HI 

Tlie  fathers' lieriiage, 
Foi  six  score  years  thy  lolty  vaults 

Witli  those  ascriptions  riiiR 
Which  lilt  ilie  soul,  while  it  exalts  ' 

TheCluist,  of  ^;lory  Kin;;.  :   ' 

And  well  miylit  walls,  soiaui>ht,  cry  out, 

If  human  liptj  were  dumb. 
And  aisles  sponianeous  swell  the  shout  ■■.     ' 

Until  the  liiidcfrroom  come." 

Dr.  Croswell  returned  to  Boston  in  1844,  and  became  Rector 
of  the  Church  of  the  Advent.  He  died  on  the  9th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1851,  at  the  age  of  forty-seven  years.  On  the  following 
day  the  Vestry  of  this  parish  held  a  special  meeting,  and  voted 
to  attend  his  funeral,  and  passed  suitable  resolutions,  commem- 
orating his  unassinning  worth,  the  consistency  of  his  christian 
character,  his  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  duty  and  his  kindness 
to  the  [)Oor,  and  especially  his  readiness  to  visit  the  sick  and 
dying  and  perform  any  pastoral  duty  for  this  parish  during  the 
vacancy  in  the  rectorship. 

In  consequence  of  the  loss  of  the  parish  records  the  rest  of 
our  history  must  be  very  brief.  The  lie\.  John  Woart  was 
instituted  into  the  rectorship  on  the  Sunday  next  before  Ad- 
vent, 1840.  He  resigned  in  1851.  We  find,  by  the  Journals 
of  the  Convention  that  in  the  year  ending  in  June  1842,  fifty 


38 


tlivce  were  confii-mod  and  forty -five  were  :icltled  to  the  coin- 
ini'uion.  In  1850,  the  number  of  conimunlciiiits  wius  125. 
The  l\cv.  William  T.  Smithett  wa's  instituted  on  the  Feiist  of  the 
Epiphany,  1852,  and  resigned  in  September,  1859.  He  was 
succeeded  in  1860  by  the  liev.  John  T.  Bnrrill  who  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  liector  on  tlic  5th  of  February  in  that  year. 
The  removal  of  families  from  the  North  End  to  the  other  parts 
of  the  city,  during  the  last  thirty  years,  has  greatly 
diminished  the  number  of  attendants  upon  public  vvorshii). 
Notwithstanding"  all  disconraijements  a  c'reat  deal  of  ii'ood  has 
been  accomplished,  and  the  annual  parochial  reports  tell  of  large 
numbers  baptized,  confirmed  and  added  to  the  conununion. 
The  parish  has  enjoyed  a  large  share  of  spiritual  prosperity 
under  its  faithful  and  earnest  rectors,  the  llev.  Messrs.  Woart, 
Smithett  and  Burrill.  In  a  densely  populated  part  of  the  city 
like  that  which  surrounds  Christ  Church,  there  must  be  al- 
ways members  of  the  Church  of  England,  strangers  in  a 
sti-ange  land,  and  needing  the  ministrations  of  the  Church.  Our 
late  Diocesan,  Bishop  Eastburn,  said  that  if  there  were  no 
Episcopal  Church  at  the  North  End  this  is  precisely  the  spot 
whci'c  we  should  desire  to  have  one. 

The  Kev.  J.  T.  Burrill  resigned  in  1868,  and  the  present 
incumbent  was  chosen  liector  on  the  27th  of  August,  and 
entered  upon  Ins  duties  on  the  1st  of  October  in  that  year. 

One  huntlred  families,  some  of  whom  reside  in  distant  parts 
of  the  city,  may  be  considered  as  belonging  to  this  parish. 
The  number  of  connnunicants  reported  to  the  last  Convention 
was  one  hinidred  and  twenty.  During  the  previous  year  thirty 
were  confirmed,  and  forty-one  were  bai)tized.  There  were 
twenty  one  marriages,  and  seven  burials.  The  Sunday  School, 
with  its  one  hundred  and  forty  four  scholars,  is  accomplishing 
a  great  amount  of  good,  and  every  department  of  the  parish 
work  is  conducted  with  zeal  and  energy  by  the  present  wor- 
shippers in  this  truly  sacred  house  of  God. 

On  this  day  of  historical  recollections  we  ought  to  celebrate 
the  memory  of  those  whose  wisdom,  piety  and  love,  have  b  uilt 


39 


preserved  and  endowed  this  church,  for  the  ^hry  of  God  in 
Jesus  Christ  wliose  name  it  bears.     Mrs.  Jane  Keen  Richard- 
son, in  her  Avill  dated  May  24,  1824,  and  admitted  to  probate 
on  the  3Uth  day  of  January  182G,  gave  her  estate  on  Cham- 
bers street,  (subject  to  certain  conditions),  to  the  Wardens  of 
Christ  Church,  in  trust,  for   the  support  and   maintenance  of 
the  public  worship  of  Ahnighty  God   in  said   Chiist  Cluu-ch ; 
atid,  the  instrument  continues,  "  said  AViirdens  and  their  suc- 
cessors are  hereby  enjoined  in  all  their  doings  relating  to  the 
premises  to  consult  the  best  good  of  said    Christ  C/hurch,  the 
temporal  and   s[)iritual   interests  whereof  I  earnestly  and  de- 
.  ^utly  wish  to  promote ;  and  further,  my  Avill  is  that  prefer- 
ence be  given  by  said  Wardens  and  successors  to  the  payment 
of  the  salary  of  the  licctor  for  the  time  being  of  said  Christ 
Church  rather  than  to  the  payment  of  other  expenses  of  pub- 
lic worship  in  said  church  as  aforesaid,  provided  the  income 
of  said  real  estate  be  needed  for  that  purpose."     If  the  "  So- 
ciety of  Christ 'Church  should  worship  in  any  other  manner, 
or  believe  in  any  other  doctrine,  or  be  subject  to   any  other 
jurisdiction"  than  those  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal   Church, 
then  the  estate  is  given  to  the  Trustees  of  Donations  for  the 
support  of  the  Bishop  of  the  Eastern  Diocese.     For  Several 
years  very  little  was  derived  from  this  source.     Last   year  the 
net  income  from  the  estate  was  $1182.69. 

The  sum  of  $1,000  was  left  to  the  parish  by  ^Irs.  Katharine 
Hay,  the  Avidow  of  Captain  John  Hay,  the  youngest  son  of 
Lord  Hay  of  Scotland.  By  her  will  this  sum  is  to  accumulate 
for  the  purpose  of  procuring  a  parsonage  house.  It  has  been 
invested  in  the  house  Avhich  stands  on  "  the  Academy  lot"  on  ♦ 
Salem  street.  The  income  from  that  house,  and  from  the  one  in 
the  rear  was,  for  the  year  ending  March  20,  1873,  $714.74, 
making  the  whole  income  of  the  property  belonging  to  the  Church 
$1,897.43.  The  Offertory  yielded  $311.49  and  the  pews 
$407.25.  Total,  $2,G7(J.i7.  This  paid  all  the  ordinary  ex- 
penses including  the  salaries.  But  this  pariah  must  always  be 
liable  to  large  outlays  of  money  to   keep  this  ancient  liistoric 


40 


building  in  repair.  In  1804  the  steeple  was  blown  down  and 
it  was  rebuilt  in  1807.  In  181G  it  was  found  to  be  in  a  de- 
caying condition  and  it  became  necessary  to  take  it  down.  On 
the  17th  of  August,  1847,  the  spire,  or  all  above  the  upper 
windows,  was  raised  from  its  fastenings  and  lowered  from  the 
height  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  to  the  pavement  without 
damage  or  accident — "  a  fearful  and  wonderful  sight,"  says 
one  who  saw  it.  That  part  of  the  steeple  which  supported  the 
spire  was  rebuilt  Avitli  new  sills,  posts,  braces  and  finish, 
the  architecture  being  carefully  conformed  to  that  of  the 
original  steeple  which  was  considered  very  elegant.  While  the 
spire  was  on  the  ground  the  ball  was  opened  and  found  to 
contain  a  statement  of  the  "  blowing  down "  in  1804, 
and  of  the  restoration  of  the  steeple  m  1807,  also  an 
account  of  the  repairs  and  painting  of  the  edifice  in  1834, 
written  by  AVilliam  Croswell.  These  were  carefully  replaced, 
with  an  account  of  the  work  done  in  1847,  a  copy  of  Dr. 
Eaton's  Centennial  Sermon,  and  other  historical  documents, 
and  the  whole  spire  was  I'estored  to  its  place,  where  it  stood 
safely  through  the  destructive  gale  of  1869.  To  the  wise 
forethought  and  liberality  of  the  Churchmen  of  1847  we  are 
indebted  for  the  preservation  of  the  steeple  to  this  day.  The 
cost  of  this  work  with  re[)airs  and  painting  was  $2,500  which 
was  raised  by  subscription. 

Otherrepairs  have  been  made  from  time  to  time,  often  at  great 
cost.  In  1830  the  pulpit  was  put  in  the  ciiancel,  one  of  the  two 
doors,  still  to  be  seen  in'  the  Vestry-room,  opening  into  it,  and 
the  other  giving  access  to  the  reading  desk  which  stood  in 
front  of  it.  In  1860  it  was  taken  out  again,  and  the  present 
arrangement  was  adopted.  The  interior  was  cleaned  and 
painted  and  new  carpets  were  put  down  in  1872.  Losses  of 
insurance,  consequent  upon  the  gi'cat  fire  of  that  year,  have 
prevented  the  entire  payment  of  the  cost  of  painting ;  and  to 
discharge  the  debt  then  incurred  and  provide  for  needed  ex- 
ternal repairs,  the  parish  requires  now  $1,000.  There  have 
been  periods  when  the  Cimrch  would  have  been  closed,  and  its 


41 


services  discontinued,  had  not  two  sisters,  noble-hearted,  christian 
ladies,  brought  their  money,  like  her  whom  Jesus  praised, 
to  the  treasury  of  God's  holy  temple.  To  one,  always  serene 
and  cheerful  in  her  total  blindness,  the  Lord  haf=t  opened  the 
glories  of  the  mansions  of  light.  The  mortal  remains  of  Betsey 
Loring,  after  the  close  of  a  life  of  eighty-one  years,  were  com- 
mitted to  the  tomb  in  the  cemetery  upon  Copp's  hill,  on  a  quiet 
Lord's  Day  in  July,  1871.  Her  memory  is  most  affectionately 
cherished  in  this  parish. 

By  the  will  of  Mr.  William  Price,  an  active,  zealous  and 
liberal  member  of  this  parish,  dated  A.D.,  1770,  the  Rector 
of  Christ  Church  preaches  two  of  the  eight  sermons,  known 
as  the  Price  Lectures  ;  and  the  poor  of  this  parish  receive  one- 
half  of  the  amount  collected  after  the  sermons,  together  with 
twenty  shillings  sterling. 

Miss  Eliza  Burroughs,  daughter  of  the  late  George  Bur- 
roughs, of  this  city,  left  to  the  Rector  and  Wardens  of  this 
Church,  in  1872,  $800,  in  trust  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  of  the 
parish.  This  amount,  with  other  contributions  for  charitable 
purposes,  has  been  invested  in  a  bond  of  the  Chicago,  Burling- 
ton and  Quincy  Rail  Road  Co.,  for  $1,000  bearing  interest  at 
7  per  cent,  and  is  designated,  '*  The  Burroughs' Fund."  The 
interest  is  given  to  the  poor. 

Almost  a  century  has  passed  away  since  British  regiments 
were  stationed  here,  and  it  was  a  pleasant  omen  of  peace  and 
harmony,  and  almost  a  pledge  of  love  and  friendship, 
when,  by  her  Majesty's  gracious  permission,  the  Band 
of  the  Grenadier  Guard  came  to  Boston  in  1872.  And  when 
they  came  to  worship  the  Lord  in  this  Church,  and  the  red 
coats  once  more  filled  its  pews,  the  event  was  clothed  with 
historic  interest.  The  men  felt  themselves  at  home.  And 
here,  on  the  last  New  Year's  Eve,  for  the  first  time  since  the 
Revolution,  prayers  were  offered  for  the  Sovereign  of  Great 
Britain  in  a  church  service  in  Boston.  And  to-night,  under 
the  united  flags  of  the  two  great  nations,  never  again  we  trust 
to   be  arrayed   in  hostility  against   each  other,  British   and 


itlll 


42 


Americans,  holding  the  one  pure  faith,  members  of  one  holy 
Church,  have  joined  in  prayers,  praises  and  thankgivings  to  the 
one  God  and  Father  of  all,  through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


;.hv:i. 


AUTHORITIES. 


The  ncconnt  of  Mr.  Newman's  movements  on  that  memorable  night, 
wlien  he  suspended  the  lanterns  in  the  belfry  as  a  signal  for  Paul  Revere, 
was  given  to  the  writer  by  Mr.  Newman's  son. 

The  following  are  among  the  Authorities  consulted  in  preparing  this 
historical  account. 

The  Ilecords,  Account  Books  and  papers  belonging  to  the  Parish. 

Perry's  Historical  Collections  relating  to  the  American  Colonial  Church. 
Vol.  3.    Massachusetts. 

Documentary  History  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Church  In  the  U.  S.  Docu- 
ments concerning  the  Church  in  Connecticut,  by  Hawks  and  Perry,  Vol.  I. 

Chandler's  life  of  Johnson. 

Bearrtsley's  History  of  the  Church  in  Connecticut.  .  ,  s 

Quincy's  History  of  Harvard  University.  • 

Sabine's  American  Loyalists.  .:  : 

Updike's  History  of  the  Narragausett  Church.         ..  -     '  ,  •; :     ; .  '  ,       / 

Dr.  Eaton's  Centennial  Sermon. 

Dr.  Edson's  Sermon  commemorative  of  Dr.  Eaton. 
'  Dr.  Croswell's  Memoirs. 

Sprague's  Am.  Pulpit.  .    ■  ■-■'  ,       .. 

Collections  of  the  Prot.  Ep.  Hist.  Society.  .,.•,'.:, 

Anderson's  Colonial  Church.  .,  '  ,   ' 

Humphrey's  Hist,  account  of  the  S.  P.  G. 

Wllberforce's  Hist.  Am.  Church. 

The  Disestablished  Churrh,  by  the  Rev.  Walter  Farquhar  Hook,  D.D. 

The  Landing  of  the  Loyalists,  by  the  Rev.  James  J.  Hill,  St.  John,  N.B. 

Top.  and  Hist.  Description  of  Boston,  by  N.  B.  Shurtleff,  M.D. 


4d 


■  1   :;.»      • 


-^     -.. 


;:;.•„>.  ■  ' :  jt^wn 


'  ACCOUNT   OF   THE    SERVICES. 

The  one  hundred  and  fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the  opening  of  Christ 
Church  was  celebrated  by  appropriate  services  on  Sunday  the  28th  and 
Monday  the  29th  of  December,  1873. 

The  Church  was  very  handsomely  decorated  with  flowers,  wreaths  and 
branches  of  evergreen.  Over  the  chancel  was  a  brilliantly  sparkling  silver 
star  upon  a  blue  back  ground.  On  the  pilasters  at  the  sides  of  the  chancel 
were  medallions  with  the  dates  1723  and  1873.  The  ample  folds  of  the 
British  and  American  flags  were  gracefully  hung  in  front  of  the  organ 
gallery,  and  above  them  was  the  sentence  pronounced  at  the  laying  of 
the  Corner  Stone.  ~  ,  ,  ,,.,.„.,  ^.  ..ijiw -.• 

"  May  the  gates  of  hell  never  prevail  against  it." 

The  massive  Plate,  used  in  the  Communion  Service,  was  displayed  upon 
the  Altar,  both  on  Sunday  and  Monday  evenings,  and  the  soft  light  of 
candles  in  the  ancient  chandeliers  mingled  with  the  brighter  glare  of  the 
gas-burners.  The  bells  pealed  as  merrily  as  they  did  at  Christmas  tide 
in  the  last  century.  The  singing  was  by  the  choir  of  Sunday  School 
Scholars  under  the  direction  of  the  accomplished  organist  Mrs.  Wm. 
Kent  Stone. 

The  Sermon  on  Sunday  morning  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  William  A. 
Des  Brisay  (a  great-grandson  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mather  Byles,  jr.,  who  was 
Rector,  one  hundred  years  ago,)  from  the  text:  "  These  all  died  in  faith, 
not  having  received  the  promises,  but  having  seen  them  afar  oflT  and  were 
persuaded  of  them  and  embraced  them  and  confessed  that  they  were 
strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth."    Heb.  xi  :13. 

In  the  afternoon  the  Rev.  Theodore  A.  Eaton,  D.D.,  Rector  of  St. 
Clement's  Church,  New  York,  preached  from  1  Tim.  3  :13,  "  Great  is  the 
mystery  of  godliness.  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  justified  in  the 
Spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  In  the 
world,  received  up  into  glory."  His  father,  the  Rev.  Asa  Eaton,  D.D., 
preached  the  centennial  sermon,  on  the  28th  of  Dec.  1823.  Both  these 
clergymen  took  part,  with  the  Rector,  lu  the  services  of  the  day,  reading 
from  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  used  by  Dr.  Byles  and  Dr.  Asa  Eaton. 

In  the  evening  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Paddock,  made  his  first  visitation 
to  this  Church.  As  the  Bishop  and  clergy  entered,  the  choir  sang  the 
hymn,"  "  Come  hither  ye  faithful."  Evening  Prayer  was  said  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Des  Brisay  and  by  the  Rector,  after  which  addresses  were  made  by 
tlie  Rov,  Dr.  Eaton,  and  the  Rev.  Drs.  Wells  and  Vinton,  who  had  known 
this  parish  and  its  Pastors  for  many  years.  The  Rector  then  announced 
the  presence  of  the  Bishop,  and  turning  to  him,  presented  the  congrega- 
tion to  him  n«  their  chief  pastor,  as  king  in  tlnMr  behalf,  his  counsel,  his 
prayers,    and    his   blessing.       The   Bishop   made  ;:  very  beautiful  and 


44 


Impressive  address,  urging  npon  the  people  the  duty  of  quitting  them- 
selves lilie  men,  in  imitation  of  those  who  have  gone  before  them,  after 
which  he  offered  prayer  and  pronounced  the  benediction. 

On  Monday  evening,  the  29th,  the  church  was  completely  filled,  and 
among  those  present  were  the  minister  of  King's  Chapel,  and  other  clergy- 
men, members  of  the  Historical  Society,  the  Church  Brotherhood,  and 
two  Societies  composed  of  British  residents.  The  hymn,  "  Onward  Chris- 
tian Soldiers"  was  sung  at  the  entrance  of  the  Bishop  and  Clergy.  Evening 
Prayer  was  begun  by  the  Rev.  John  T.  Burrill,  of  Chelsea,  Hector  of  this 
Church  from  1860  to  1868.  The  fifth  Selection  of  Psalms  was  read  by  the 
Rev.  C.  C.  Tiffany,  Assistant  Minister  of  Trinity  Church  upon  the  Greene 
Foundation.  The  first  lesson  was  read  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Des  Brlsay,  and 
the  second  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Eaton.  The  Nicene  Creed  was  said  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Hoppin,  Rector  of  Christ  Church,  Cambridge,  one  of  our 
Historic  Churches,  and  the  Prayers  by  the  Pdv.  R.  H.  Howe,  Rector  of 
Christ  Church,  Qulncy,  formerly  Braintreo,  the  oldest  parish  of  our 
communion  In  this  Commonwealth.  After  ti^e  Address  and  the  Offertory 
the  whole  congregation  joined  in  the  Old  Hundredth  Psalm,  and  the  Bishop 
said  the  concluding  Prayers  and  pronounced  tho  Benediction. 


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